Stranded
by Dante Andy Anderson
Summary: What could be worse than having to be paired up with your worst enemy? Being paired up with your worst enemy on a stranded island with no idea of how you're going to get home, that's what.
1. Chapter 1

**STRANDED**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except this Storyline and plot. Glee (TV Series), Any Movie that has people being stuck on an Island or Living on an Island (I can't name them all and am too lazy to), The Cay (Book - Theodore Taylor), Jurassic Park III (Movie), Jurassic Park – Lost World (Movie), Wicked FF (I got a quote from one of them but forgot the name), Glee Fan Trailers on Youtube,**

** Rating: PGR**

** Warning: Scenes of a somewhat Sexual Nature and a bit of Bullying. Do Not Read if you're easily offended.**

** Genre: Drama, Angst, Comedy  
**

** Era: AU-WMHS**

* * *

**Chapter 1:**

_'A cruise, of all things a cruise,'_ Rachel thought to herself miserably as she stood at the stern of the ship and watched the water churn and glisten, 'A place where I really have nowhere else to hide and people find me regardless and still verbally put me down,'

The gulls were flying overhead, squawking loudly, not that it irritated her that much.

She let out a sigh as she looked back at the cruise ship.

Don't get her wrong, she was grateful that the Glee Club finally caught a break and that they could have a great bonding experience together on a cruise ship, courtesy of one Sue Sylvester funnily enough, but she still felt alone.

Nationals had come and gone in New York and everyone was still mad at her for her kiss with Finn, even if he did take responsibility for initiating it, they still were mad at her.

"Hey Rach," Finn said as he walked up to her holding a drink in his hand.

"Hey Finn," she sighed back.

"What are doing here at the butt of the ship?"

"The stern,"

"Why are you being stern?"

"No, that's what the back of the ship is called, it's the stern,"

"Oh, right, so what are you doing here?"

"Just thinking,"

"Why? I mean,"

"It's nothing Finn,"

"Why don't you come join us? We're playing the Limbo game with the rest of the cruise,"

Rachel gave him a look.

"I know, I know, my tall limbs and all, but you'll laugh, I hit my head the first couple of times and I toppled over the next," he said trying to make her laugh.

"I'm okay Finn,"

"Look, if this is about Nationals, I'm sorry okay,"

"I know, but I'm not mad at you, no one is,"

"They're not mad at you,"

"Finn, they're all not talking to me, still, not even Tina or Kurt are talking to me anymore,"

"Give them time,"

"I will,"

The two were quiet for a moment.

"Man, aren't you glad Coach Sue got this cruise for us? I mean this is what, super nice of her or something," he said.

"Yeah, she has connections I guess, I just wonder why she did it," Rachel said.

"To be nice maybe,"

"Maybe, but it doesn't add up, wonder if someone blackmailed her to be nice to us,"

"Maybe, it's still cool, this is probably going to be the only time I'll get on a cruise ship,"

"You don't know that,"

"True, but I'm more of a land person, besides, I'm gonna travel by plane, more to see as opposed to the ship where it's nothing but water, water, water,"

Rachel let out a small laugh at that, "Finn, you do know that you see nothing but clouds when you fly right?"

"Well, I meant that on a cruise you're stuck on a ship and you rarely get to go off the ship, when you fly, you like get out of the airport and stuff,"

"I know what you're trying to say,"

"Cool, so, you coming?"

"No, I'm fine here,"

Finn sighed as he gave up and walked off.

"Good god I didn't think you could be anymore pathetic," Quinn's voice said as Rachel looked up and saw Quinn standing by the rafters.

"Hi Quinn," she said in annoyance as Quinn made her way down.

"You really think that with Finn on your side everyone would automatically just forgive you?"

"No,"

"Listen here Stubbles, you ruined everything, if it wasn't for you I'd still be with Finn, I would have won Prom Queen, I would still be respected, you ruined everything," she said as she came down and shoved Rachel.

"Knock it off Quinn, you can have Finn, he made it clear that he and I were just going to be friends for the time being,"

"Why so you can try and steal him again? I don't think so,"

"I thought you were okay with us, you know, with Nationals out of the way and you stopping Santana from trying to kill us,"

"I was stopping her from killing Finn, I don't care if she tried to kill you,"

"Oh,"

"Thought you'd notice,"

"Yes, I'm beginning to see it,"

"Good,"

Rachel turned to walk away and started walking past the life boats.

"Hey, come back here Stubbles I'm not done with you," Quinn started but didn't finish as she didn't see the small rouge wave hit the ship, neither did Rachel, but as the ship was tossed strongly and people could be heard screaming, the two were thrown off balance and into the water, both somehow managing to land into a life raft that was roughly broken away.

Rachel didn't know what else was happening as her world turned black.

* * *

When she came to, Rachel could hear the surf and the gulls as well as someone groaning next to her.

She sat up and realised she and Quinn had washed ashore.

"Quinn, Quinn, are you okay?" She asked as she shook Quinn a bit.

"Oh, god, my head, everything hurts," Quinn said as she slowly sat up.

"I, where are we?"

"Do I look like I'd know?!"

"Maybe we should go and find out,"

"Whatever,"

"We'll stick to the coast line,"

"Fine,"

The two walked around the coastline for what seemed like four hours, okay, so it was probably about three hours and fifty-nine minutes, but you get the point, it was a long trek, they were both tired and both hungry and thirsty.

"We're on an island, and it looks deserted," Rachel finally said when they arrived back to where they started.

"I'm stuck, on a damn island, with YOU," Quinn hissed.

"It's not like I planned to be stuck with you," Rachel said, somewhat dejectedly.

"Oh god, we're, we're stuck on an island and we don't know if anyone is ever going to find us, oh god,"

"Just calm down, maybe someone will notice we're missing,"

"And then what Stubbles?"

"Uh,"

"Do you think anyone knows where would have fallen off or how to get to us?"

"Uh, I,"

"Exactly,"

Rachel didn't say anything as she thought to herself in an almost sarcastic tone, _'Oh great, I'm doomed, I'm stuck with Quinn, she hates my guts, but we need to survive, oh god, what are we going to do?'_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

Can a person go blind from rolling their eyes too much?

If it is possible then Rachel would have turned blind at least fifteen minutes ago.

She knew Quinn could be bossy and over bearing at times, she knew Quinn could rant longer than she ever could if she wanted to.  
But what she didn't know was that Quinn could rant, be bossy, panicked and pretty….wait, what? No, scratch that….for now, and almost nonsensical and not incredibly poised when she was over worried about something.

Rachel sighed as she leaned her head against the palm of her hand as she was sat on the sand, knees to her chest and watching Quinn pacing and muttering to herself.

"Oh god, what am I going to do? I mean, I'm stuck here, I'm stuck, survival, what? What if we're stuck here forever? Oh god," Quinn just continued on the same pattern over and over again.

Rachel let out a sigh again and rolled her eyes, "You know, if you want to survive you're going to have to stop doing what you're doing and go find water, I'm sure you're as thirsty as I am and probably just as hungry,"

Quinn stopped pacing and glared over at her.

"It's true, and we need to find out if this island is sustainable, we need a water source, food source, shelter, we need to make sure there is nothing dangerous here," she finished.

"And I suppose YOU would know all about this?" Quinn said in an angry tone.

"As a matter of fact, yes, I used to be a girl scout,"

"Like I believe you,"

"I don't care whether you believe me or not Quinn, but we're going to have to work together to survive here,"

"What is this? Loser Survival Castaway?"

"Are you trying to be funny?"

"No, I was being sarcastic,"

"Look Quinn, I know we've had our differences, but we have to survive together okay, we don't know how long we're going to be here, so stop pacing and lets go find a water source, I'm about to die of thirst here,"

"You'd certainly be helping me out, I wouldn't have to look at you,"

Rachel just winced, "Let's just go Quinn, I thought I saw a small river about ten minutes to that way,"

Quinn just watched as Rachel got up and began walking away from her.

On the inside she felt panicked again and ran after the brunette, "Wait up," she yelled as Rachel slowed and waited for Quinn to catch up.

* * *

The two walked for about ten minutes, and sure enough, there as a small river running out towards the ocean.

"Okay, well, if we go inward, the water should hopefully get wider and give us more room to drink, but we don't want to stay too long, the closer we are to water, the bigger the animals get," Rachel said.

"Did you just quote Jurassic Park III?" Quinn asked.

"Yes, but it's also true, c'mon, let's go,"

Quinn groaned as the two walked a bit inland, Rachel took in her surroundings, Quinn tried to tread carefully.

When they reached a spot, Rachel dropped to her knees quickly and drank the water, slowly mind you, because she didn't want to damage her lungs or hurt her throat, Quinn followed suit.

"So, what now?" Quinn asked when they were done.

"I don't know, we should look for food and shelter I guess," Rachel said.

"You guess?"

"Yeah, while walking around this island I haven't seen or heard any type of animal that could be too dangerous,"

"We don't know that though,"

"I know, but for now, I don't see or hear anything,"

Unknown to Rachel, a large figure was swimming towards her and Quinn.

"Oh my god, what is that?" Quinn asked as Rachel turned, shrieked and jumped away, pulling Quinn along with her.

The animal in the water thrashed a bit as it tried to get a look at them before swimming away.

"What the hell was that?" Quinn asked in shock.

"Bull Shark, guess we'll have to careful when drinking water then, well, that's dangerous creature number one,"

"A shark? In fresh water?"

"Bull sharks can go into fresh water when they want to, actually they were the reason behind the attacks on swimmers in the Mississippi River in the 1900s, forgot which year exactly, there are also River sharks, but I doubt there'd be any here,"

"Great, sharks, yay, what's next? A cougar?"

"I hope not, we'd be dead within a week," Rachel said as she started walking off.

"A week, great, survival of the fittest and I'm stuck with you for potentially a week,"

"At the moment its survival of the annoying and you're leading Quinn," Rachel yelled back as she started moving towards higher ground.

"Shut up and hey, wait for me," Quinn said as she started dashing after Rachel.

* * *

Neither girl knew how long they had been trekking, all they knew was that they were still hungry and tired. At least luck seemed to be on their side, Rachel managed to spot a cave with a small ledge not too far away.

"Look a cave we can rest there for the night," she said as she climbed up into it, "It looks empty and perfectly safe, if any animal tries to get in, they'd actually have to climb up, c'mon Quinn,"

"God I'm so hungry," Quinn said as her stomach grumbled.

Rachel scanned the area but couldn't see anything.

"I can't see anything to eat Quinn," she said, "And I'm exhausted, maybe we'll feel better in the morning,"

"Is it safe to do that? I mean think about it, we got to sleep on an empty stomach, we won't function in the morning," Quinn stated.

"I guess you're right,"

"Guess we should head back down then, at least we know where this is, lets mark the area so we can come back later,"

"You seem poised all of a sudden,"

"I'm human, I'm allowed to freak out, but you of all people know that once I'm poised again, I can plan things,"

"No kidding,"

"Hey look, we're at luck again, I see bananas,"

"You don't think there'll be rabid monkeys around do you?"

"Do I look like I care? They are ripe enough, let's just grab some and go back to the cave to eat,"

"What about supplies?"

"Can we worry about becoming all Robinson Crusoe later? I thought you were tired,"

"I am,"

The two girls grabbed a few bananas before making their way up to the cave to eat and rest.

"We should take turns watching," Rachel suggested.

"You're first then," Quinn said.

"Fine,"

"Don't fall asleep Berry, I mean it,"

"Okay,"

With that Quinn lay down and started to sleep as the exhaustion finally hit her.

Rachel fought to stay awake before succumbing to sleep herself.

* * *

The next time she opened her eyes she realised it was morning and Quinn was staring at her with a very, very, angry look.

"Uh, good morning Quinn," she started.

"You, Fell, ASLEEP BERRY!" Quinn yelled.

"Oops,"


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** I'm not going to bother with disclaimers as I put them at the beginning of every story I write/wrote and to keep writing it for each chapter is monotonous.

Also, to the Guest who wrote this review: _"I hope you have a plan to make Quinn less of a bitch. Coz right now I don't want faberry as much as I want her to be eaten by a bull shark." - _Omg you made my day and I couldn't stop laughing (in a good way).  
Yes, Quinn is a bit of a bitch, but remember, it's only the first twenty-four to twenty-eight hours, so she's still in panic mode. And yes, I will mellow her out. (Was always the plan - Lol).

Finally, I have gone over a couple of my fics (including this one) and noticed that I have a couple of grammar errors and/or missing words, I apologise for those, maybe it's just me being over pedantic about my work, but I always stare at them going... "Grrr, I read this story X number of times to make sure it was correct, how'd I not notice this?"

So apologise for that, I will try and not make errors (or so many errors) in the future.

Thank you to everyone who's given this story a go...it seems to be the most popular of the ones I have so far.

Anyway, without further ado, enjoy Chapter 3 of Stranded.

* * *

**Chapter 3:**

"Oops, that's all you have to say? Oops?" Quinn said angrily as she continued glaring at Rachel.

Now if Rachel had been any other person at McKinley she would have cowered under such a glare and turned into a pitiful mess, but she wasn't so she just stared back.

"I was tired too Quinn, and if it was supposed to be shifts, you would have had to look out at some point in the night too," she pointed out.

"That is beside the point, you fell asleep, what if we had gotten eaten or attacked?" Quinn said back.

"But we weren't, I'm sorry Quinn, but I am human too, I needed to sleep, my brain just shut down,"

"Shut down is right, you know what, I think I'll be fine on my own,"

"Quinn that's not a smart idea,"

"And why isn't it? I obviously can't stand you and you can't stand me,"

"I didn't say I couldn't stand you, I just called you annoying,"

"Excuse me?"

"You're being annoying, survival is about working in a team, Quinn, you can't survive on your own,"

"I sure as hell can and I will, I want to go home Berry and to be honest I think I'll find a way to, see you later,"

"I know you want to go home Quinn, but right now it's probably not probable, we need to scope out the place, find the highest point, build a signal, something like that, we need to help each other,"

"I don't need help from you,"

"No Quinn wait,"

But it was too late, Quinn had disappeared and Rachel was still too tired to run after her.

* * *

As the day wore on, Rachel wandered around the island hoping that by pure chance she'd be able to find Quinn, but no such luck.

Luckily for her though, this did give her the opportunity to scope out the area.

The island itself wasn't that large, it was large enough that two people wouldn't be able to find each other, but if the entire circumference of the island was just under four hours, it really wasn't that bad.

For now, she decided to stick to the lower areas.

There weren't many animals around, maybe a few deer that made her wonder how they even got there, a couple of monkeys, very few snakes that weren't poisonous or large enough to eat her.

There were rabbits hopping around the place too…seriously, those things breed like crazy that they're even on a deserted island?

And of course, a few rats.

The warm river had fish in it, oh, and a Bull Shark, but that creature was nowhere in sight. Thank god.  
She decided to sit down for a bit by the water and just reflect while eating some berries she managed to find and drink some water.

Sure, Quinn was being annoying, but Rachel supposed that that was due to her being mad that they were stuck together, not that that was a good excuse at all. But since the blonde's departure, she felt that bit more alone and isolated, really it wasn't anything she wasn't that used to, but it still hurt. Not that she'd show it.

She knew Quinn really wanted to get back to Lima, she at least had people to go back to. People who loved her, people who wanted her back.

But Rachel, to be honest, it wasn't like she had anyone to go back to in Lima, no one was there. Her Dads had left her and the only reason she said they were loving ever present Dads was because no one was willing to let her into their lives long enough to find out that she had lied about her now absent parents.

(Finn was different, but he didn't know because she never told him – and he was incredibly trusting when she told him that her parents were just out for a business meeting for the day or something like that).  
Shelby obviously decided she didn't want her. Glee Club just tolerated her existence for the sake of her voice being able to help win competitions. The school just wanted to mock her and needed her as a scapegoat for whatever crap it was they were going through, or for the hell of it she supposed. All in all, she was alone.

She sighed as she took a stick and drew lazy patterns on the ground, her cheek resting on her knees as she pulled her knees closer to herself.

She was so drowned in her thoughts that she didn't notice that Quinn was just behind her.

"Hobbit," she said making Rachel splutter and jump.

"Quinn?" she said as she looked up at the blonde.

"Sorry,"

Rachel blinked….'Did Quinn just apologise for something?'

"I did," Quinn said.

"Did I say that out loud?"

"You did,"

"Oh, sor…"

"Don't,"

"How'd you find me Quinn?"

"I figured you'd go back to the river to drink, either way, I would have just returned to the cave since I figured you'd be there later on,"

"True,"

"But there was a good thing about me getting mad and walking off,"

"There was?"

"I found another place that we could potentially stay, it's higher, there's more fruit, oh, and a waterfall with its lake a couple of fishes in it, and unless Mr Bull Shark can jump,"

"They can actually,"

"Up a lot of rocks,"

"Oh,"

"We can bathe there, drink, etc.,"

"Sounds good,"

"And, I, uh, I need help, I,"

"Okay,"

"Just like that?"

"Quinn, I'm not going to just let you suffer with whatever it is you're suffering from,"

"Oh, well, it's nothing major, it's just," Quinn sighed as she sat down next to the brunette, "I'm a Fabray, Berry, I'm supposed to be calm and collected and good at what I do, Fabray's don't ask for help, it's a sign of weakness,"

"Whatever gave you that idea?"

Quinn shot her a look.

"Oh, family," Rachel surmised.

"Yeah, being strong and having others rely on you is what being a Fabray is, it's not an excuse for being bitchy and nasty, but it is a package deal, sorta," Quinn said.

"It's okay to ask for help and talk about things you need help with Quinn, you don't always have to put up a brave front,"

Quinn was quiet for a moment before saying, "Look, you're right, we need each other to survive, being away from you gave me a chance to reflect as I went walking around for the past however many hours I was away for, but I will be honest with you, for the moment anyway, I'm only sticking by you because I want to survive and you seem to have the skill and know how on how to do just that,"

"I figured that Quinn,"

"Good, because I'm tired of being a liar and if we're going to be honest with each other, I can at least give you that,"

"Splendid,"

* * *

After much deliberation, the two decided to head back to the lifeboat that they had fallen into.

"It'll have supplies, at least I hope so," Rachel said.

"Good point, don't know why we didn't think of that yesterday,"

"Exhaustion and hunger, besides, people rarely see what's really in front of them,"

"Hmmm,"

When they finally found the lifeboat, they could see that it was damaged badly, so there was no chance of using it to escape if need be.

"Well, at least the supplies seem intact," Rachel said.

Quinn didn't say anything as she jumped into the boat and started rummaging through the stock to see what they had.

First aid kits, always handy. Food rations and supplies for quite a few days, super handy (and great since it seems the birds hadn't gotten to it yet), and a flare gun with a few flares to go with it.

Rachel managed to find fishing equipment that she knew would come in handy, plus a knife, rain water catchment, and funnily enough, a couple of cups, though she supposed that they were probably supposed to be used to pee in, she shuddered at the thought, but they looked clean and never used, save for being a bit wet and sandy due to the boat crashing.

The radio, however, was damaged, which she sighed at but it wasn't what she was looking for.

"Oh no," Rachel said as she found the item she wanted.

"What?" Quinn asked as she looked.

Rachel held out a device that looked mangled.

"What is that?" Quinn asked.

"That could have been your way home,"

"What?"

"It's a beacon, and unfortunately, it's been damaged, there's no way to use it now,"

"Oh crap,"

_'Oh crap indeed,'_ Rachel thought to herself.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** Thank you so much to everyone who have read this story and followed it or favourite it, and also thank you to those who have reviewed it. It is greatly appreciated.

And thank you as well to RVFlorida who made the point that I need to make sure I explain how Rachel is surviving without her Dads and how the background for that is.  
I sort of touch on it here in this chapter, but I will leave the rest of the explanation for a later chapter when the girls trust each other a bit more.

Anyway, enjoy Chapter 4.

* * *

**Chapter 4:**

With the beacon out of the question, Rachel and Quinn decided to do the next best thing, build a big HELP message out of the rocks they could find and make sure it was inland enough so that the tide wouldn't cover up the message, but out enough to be able to be seen.

"What do you think about building a signal that we can burn at the top of that hill over there?" Quinn asked.

"That's certainly an idea, and we can use the flares if the ships are close enough," Rachel said as she placed the final stone into the sand, "You know what else I was thinking?"

"What?"

"If we build or rather keep three areas that can be our spots, you know, to rest and camp, we can do more if we end up being here too long, it would certainly be beneficial,"

"That's an idea, I mean, we already have two places, that ledged cave you found, the area I found, we just need a safe beach area, and we can spread the supplies while we're at it,"

"Exactly,"

"But where are we going to build it? I want the food to be safe off the ground and make sure the tide doesn't damage the place at night, oh and we're going to have to lug stuff to two places inland,"

"We can take our time Quinn, it's not like we have a time limit to do this, sort of, there is still the night time,"

"Yeah, I don't want to walk around the dark either,"

"We could use parts of the lifeboat to build a shelter here at the beach, but we need rope, I don't really see any,"

"Well, here's some rope, I'm assuming you're going to use it to tie the food off the ground, let's hope the monkeys don't get to them,"

"They won't, I'll wrap them up good,"

"You know, I think I saw some vines further that way, we can use those if they're strong,"

"Yes, and we can also make rope out of dead plants,"

"You know how?"  
"I learnt,"

Just then Quinn's stomach grumbled, "Sorry," she said with a sheepish look.

"We have two options, we can eat some of the rations now, or I teach you how to make rope and how to fish," Rachel said.

"Both, eat now then rope time, and fishing, you okay with fishing?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because you're a Vegan,"

"My Daddy once taught me how to fish, he told me that even though I was Vegan a situation may arise where I may need to know how to catch food and eat because there will be no Vegan substitute, guess he was right,"

"So, do your parents and you go out on Outdoor trips much?"

Rachel sat down opposite Quinn as the two ate some of the rations, "Not in recent years, they've been busy,"

"Oh, really? How about during school breaks and stuff?"

A look passed Rachel's face and Quinn recognised it, it was a look of loneliness and pain, but that wasn't possible was it? Rachel was always talking about loving Dads, she wanted to press more and ask but she realised that if she confronted Rachel about it now, the brunette may never open up, it's not like they were that close yet. So all she said was, "They're away too much huh?"

"Oh, no, no, of course not, just, you know, thinking," Rachel covered and Quinn pretended to believe her.

Quinn looked out over the ocean and enjoyed the scenery.

"You shouldn't stare too much out there," Rachel stated.

"Why?" Quinn asked.

"Well, as you know, the sun can reflect off any surface and it can blind you if you stare at the water too long,"

"But it's so pretty,"

"And sometimes pretty things can be the things that hurt you the most,"

Quinn just sighed in agreement.

* * *

"No Quinn, not that one, it won't hold as it's a bit too dry, you have to find vines and dead plants that look like this one here," Rachel instructed.

After their small meal and bundling up the supplies by the new shelter Rachel had constructed at an over turned tree and using the lifeboat pieces as a bivouac, (and yes Quinn helped with a minimal amount of snark involved, except for when she hit her thumb really hard and swore like sailor and Rachel ended up laughing because it looked hilarious – it must also be said that she found it funny as Quinn wasn't snarking at her but rather at the offending piece of wood she had dropped on the ground).

Rachel was now teaching Quinn how to make strong rope out of dead plants and tree vines. It was going successfully, sort of, if you count the fact that they had been there for about an hour as they searched for the right types of plants and vines. And Quinn's first few attempts were failed and Rachel could tell the blonde was getting frustrated but kept her annoyance in check.

"There, you got it," Rachel beamed.

"Thanks Berry," Quinn smiled as she looked at her handy work.

The blonde didn't look as she reached out to make more rope out of the tree vine behind her.

"Quinn, don't grab that," Rachel started.

"Relax, it's just vine, I'll be fine," Quinn said as she reached out without looking and grabbed the vine that was supposedly above and behind her, "Why is the vine cold and smooth?"

"Uh, Quinn,"

The two heard an angry hiss and Quinn looked up and realised she had just grabbed a snake.

She yelped as she let go and jumped backwards but her arm movement made the green snake drop to the ground.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god," Quinn squealed as she ran off in one direction and Rachel ran yelping the other way, she may have learnt how to hunt and survive, but a snake this close to her, nah-uh.

Now if there was a third party watching this from a safe distance, this would have been a hilarious site, kinda like those old cartoons you got from the 90s.

Quinn for some reason ran in a circle squealing, and Rachel was almost in a straight line until she tripped, the snake was right behind her.

Now in a normal calm situation, Rachel would have remembered that snakes generally wouldn't chase a human being and are just looking for a means of escape and trying to get away, unfortunately for Rachel, when you have a slithering reptile that looks like it's chasing you, your brain is not going to allow you time to remember that.

She turned to look and realised that the snake was almost at her, its' body in the s-position, ready to strike, but before it could Quinn dropped a heavy rock on its' head and killed it.

The two collected their breaths, waiting for the panic to ease away.

"I'm so sorry Berry," Quinn said, "Oh my god, are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine, I, thanks Quinn," Rachel said as she slowly collected her breath and stood up.

"So uh, note to self, when making rope, always make sure not to grab a snake,"

"That would be a great idea,"

"Well, at least I now have dinner, you know how to make a fire right?"

"Yeah, why do you…you're going to eat the snake? Really?"

"Hey it's food, might as well make the most of it,"

_'Good grief,'_ Rachel thought, but didn't say more as she and Quinn made their way back to the bivouac by the beach.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

"Oh, wow, Rach, it's a pity you're a Vegan because this snake is actually quite nice, sorta like chicken and fish combined if that makes sense, no, chicken, it reminds me of an overly bony chicken, it taste like chicken," Quinn said as she stuffed her mouth and Rachel made a face at her.

"Sorry," Quinn said as she swallowed another piece of meat and spat out the bone into the fire-place.

"Ew, it's your eating habits not the fact that you're eating an animal that I find gross Quinn," Rachel said as she started eating one of the ration packs she managed to pour water into to make a meal, "Since when are you such a cave woman when you eat?"

"I'm famished okay, anyway, what are you eating?"

"Rehydrated Vegetarian Stir-fry, it's the current closest they have to Vegan,"

"I noticed that almost all the rations aren't vegetarian friendly, let alone vegan, will you be okay with that?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine,"

"Really? I thought you wouldn't, I mean, how will you survive when we run out of the Vegetarian stuff?"

"It's survival Quinn, if it comes to it, I accept the fact that I'll have to eat meat,

"And you're okay with that?"

"Look, for me it boils down to this, if I have the means to survive without having to consume any animal products that would exploit, harm and endanger an animal of any sort, then I'll be happy staying a vegan, but in a situation like this, I know I may not have a choice,"

"So if you were to get rescued and go home tomorrow?"

"I'd return to my usual vegan diet,"

"I see, so tell me, what's with the vegan thing? I mean I get that you love being healthy and all that jazz, but seriously you don't even have butter? Butter is so good with pasta, and I don't find anything wrong with eating meat,"

"It's not necessarily that I'm against eating meat Quinn, it's the ethics behind the kill, I, like some Vegans, do not consume meat or anything from an animal because of the way the animal is slaughtered for the consumer market, it's also the way the animals are treated before they are killed or how they're treated when obtaining things like eggs and milk, that's what I'm against, it's why I don't contribute to that market in anyway,"

"Oh, I always thought vegans were like hippies you know, like this mother earth thing and loving the planet and going green and that all people who eat meat are horrible sadist, I mean some of the vegans I've heard about make killing and eating meat sound like a death metal song,"

"And it probably does,"

"I see, I don't think I'll ever become a vegan,"

"And that's your choice, though, I have to ask, what was with the bacon thing?"

"Oh my god, seriously? I mention bacon once while pregnant and people think I love to consume the stuff, I was just craving it and Puck coming from a Jewish home didn't have bacon, though I find it interesting that they order from the Chinese place that serves pork, doesn't make sense to me,"

Rachel just laughed, "Yeah, I know,"

* * *

As the two finished the meal, Rachel stood and brushed the sand off her dress as Quinn got up and did the same.

"I don't want to put my shoes back on," Quinn groaned.

"C'mon get your shoes back on," Rachel laughed as she threw Quinn's shoes playfully at the blonde.

"But it's too much effort,"

"It'd probably be a good idea to, what if we run into more snakes?"

"Sigh, I know, c'mon, let's go move some of this stuff to the other two places, we probably need to build a shelter by the water-fall,"

"Okay, let's go,"

And with that the two began trekking with the supplies they would need at the cave ledge and the waterfall.

As they were walking, Rachel looked over at the blonde, "I gotta ask, why did you cut your hair?"

"Santana thought it'd be a good idea," Quinn answered.

"Oh?"

"Well I was having a break down and I, well, please don't be mad,"

"Mad about what?"

"I wanted to destroy our chances of winning at Nationals by getting you in trouble for sneaking out with Kurt,"

Quinn had said it so fast that Rachel took a moment to process what she had said.

"You what?" she asked.

"I was so angry at you, well, not just you, at everything, I'm a failure Berry, at everything and I needed someone to get angry at, someone to blame, and it was easiest to do that to you," Quinn said.

"Why?"

"Because it was the only situation I could control, something I could just hurt and destroy and I thought, I don't know what I thought,"

Rachel just looked over at Quinn and noticed the blonde try to discreetly wipe a tear from her eye.

"But before I could do anything, Santana and Brittany caught up with me and stopped me, and I told Santana that all I wanted was someone to, never mind,"

"What Quinn?"

"Doesn't matter, look, all Santana did was tell me that the only person making me miserable was me and that perhaps what I needed was a change, so, ta-da, haircut,"

Rachel just gave her a smile that she didn't see before saying, "I think it suits you,"

"Thanks,"

"But I need to ask, why do you think you're a failure?"

"Really Berry?"

"Yeah, really,"

"I couldn't do anything right, I couldn't hold onto my own ex-boyfriend who was the Quarterback of the Football team, I didn't even hold onto any of my other exes either, I cheated on the one guy who probably would have been my best option, I had a child out of wedlock, I didn't secure Prom Queen, I either had to leave or got kicked off the Cheerios, and my father hates me,"

"That doesn't make you a failure Quinn,"

"Yes it does, in the eyes of my family I'm the only Fabray who failed at everything, I couldn't even keep one person in my life long enough for them to love me,"

"That doesn't make you a failure,"

"Doesn't it?" was all Quinn said as the two settled into a silence as they made their way to the ledged cave.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

"You know what this ledged cave reminds me of?" Quinn started.

"What?" Rachel asked.

"Ice Age III,"

Rachel looked at her.

"What?" Quinn asked.

"You watched a movie intended for children?" Rachel asked in surprise.

"Hey, it's classed as a family film, therefore I can watch it, besides, Brittany made me, it's the pout, I swear to god,"

"Yeah, I'm sure she made you,"

"Shut up, it's a good movie, I like the series okay,"

"Aha, well, the good thing about this ledge compared to the one in Ice Age III is that we can actually get into it and I don't feel like Sid trying to get into it, plus no Rudy, so you know,"

This time it was Quinn who looked back at her, "Ha, you watched it too,"

"I never said I didn't," Rachel smirked back.

"I, shut up," Quinn said as she threw her pack at Rachel, making the brunette laugh.

After some time of setting up what they needed and sorting out the supplies, Quinn turned to Rachel and said, "You know, to be honest, I think this cave is fine as it is, I mean it'd be a good idea to have something to cover it, but it seriously isn't too bad, it's not even damp,"

"I think we should leave the blankets here though," Rachel stated.

"Or we could just take them with us, I mean once everything is unloaded it's not like the spare packs will actually be heavy, and that way we'll be covered wherever we go,"

"True,"

"We should also keep track of the days on something,"

"Like what? A tree?"

"I could leave scratch marks on this wall, what day is this?"

"Day two,"

"Oh, that's all? Seems like we've been here forever,"

"Yeah it does,"

"Let's go gather some wood, it seems that the night is descending on us faster than we anticipated,"

"You sounded just like a novel,"

"Huh, guess I did,"

The two left the cave quickly and gathered what wood they could before they returned to the cave where Rachel began teaching Quinn how to light a fire.

"OW," Quinn said as she sucked onto her thumb.

"You okay?" Rachel asked as she looked for a band-aid.

"If these u-pid docks tha meh ma dumb bweed," Quinn muffled as she kept sucking the blood on her injured thumb.

"What?"

"It's these stupid rocks that made my thumb bleed," Quinn said properly as Rachel took her thumb and put the band-aid on.

"You just need to learn how to not injure your thumb,"

"How about I leave the fire making to you?"

"It's vital that you learn, c'mon you can do it, and if you don't, we'll just freeze our butts off tonight,"

"No pressure or anything,"

"No pressure,"

Quinn huffed as she looked over at Rachel.

"You can do this," Rachel said encouragingly.

"Okay, so first I, uh," Quinn started.

"Make sure you have water handy,"

"Right, cups with water, check,"

"Check,"

"And then I make sure I put stones around it to try and control the fire, and try not to make it too close to our sleeping spot,"

"And the reason we never use rocks from or near water is?"

"Because they can over heat and explode because of water being stored in their structure,"

"Correct, and then what do we do?"

"I uh, oh, I try and make sure there's proper air flow by making a small tepee out of the sticks and put kindling in the right places,"

"Yes,"

"And then I shall use this lighter made by God, blessed to man, and attempt to make fire,"  
"Quinn, I'm pretty sure it was man who made that lighter not God,"

"Hey, God provided the materials therefore I stand by my statement,"

Rachel laughed as Quinn took the lighter from the survival kit pack and attempted to start the fire, eventually she got it going.

"Rachel look, look, I got it going, I rule," Quinn said happily.

"Well done Quinn,"

It was in that moment that Rachel realise what Quinn had called her.

"Did you just call me by my first name?" she asked in surprise.

"Uh, yeah, guess I did," Quinn answered.

"Wow, I, wow, you called me Rachel,"

Quinn just gave her a small sad look before saying, "I can't change what I've done in the past Rachel, but I can let go of that past and start a better future, and I want that, with you, I want to be your friend, you're amazing and there's more to you than what I think, I'm sorry I didn't see that,"

Rachel just gave her a genuine smile, "I'd really like to be your friend Quinn,"

"So we start again?"

"Yeah, just don't go grabbing snakes again okay, I really don't want to have to run like that again,"

"It was tasty though, you should have tried some,"

"No thanks, I'll turn to meat eating when I have no choice,"

Quinn just laughed.

* * *

The next morning Rachel woke up before Quinn and went out to stretch her arms.

"Hey, you're up early," Quinn said as she emerged from the cave stretching her arms too.

"Good morning Quinn, I'm usually up early anyway, and I needed to stretch,"

"Join the club, so, once we're done at the waterfall spot, what shall we do?"

"Maybe we should climb to the top of that hill and survey the area,"

"Oh, and build a signal, with what I don't know, but you know,"

Rachel just smiled, "Sounds like an idea, but first, food,"

"So uh, you wouldn't happen to want to eat snake meat for breakfast would you?" Quinn asked in cheek as Rachel smiled in a scandalised way and threw a ration pack at the now laughing blonde.

* * *

With breakfast over and the two securing the cave with a fortunately spare blanket to cover the entrance and tightly binding up their food, the two started making their way to the waterfall spot.

"Wow, this place is beautiful Quinn," Rachel exclaimed as the two entered the spot.

The waterfall was something you would picture in a movie, the drop wasn't too high, only about twenty-six feet (eight metres) and that part ran down like a slide all the way to the lake where, as Quinn had said, a few fish swam in, but hardly any. The part next to the rock slide of the waterfall looked like it dropped for about thirty-two feet (ten metres). The sound was thunderous in a soothing way and the mists created by the water hitting the lake below was almost mesmerizing.

The green of the area didn't escape Rachel's notice as she gapped at the scenery.

"So you like it?" Quinn said.

"Yeah, it's beautiful," Rachel answered as she put her share of the pack down.

"Where shall we put the shelter?"

"How about that area over there, it's not too far from the waterfall, but far enough that it won't be damp,"

"You don't want to go into the cave that's behind the waterfall?"

"Well, I mean, I'd only go there if I wanted to get wet,"

Quinn burst out laughing.

"What?" Rachel asked slightly confused.

"Sorry, sorry, hanging around Santana you don't have a clean filter anymore," Quinn said laughing.

"I have no idea what you…oh,"

"Get it?"

"I got it,"

"Sorry,"

Rachel just lifted an eyebrow.

"Hey you have my eyebrow lift," Quinn said pointing at Rachel's face as the two started work on building a bivouac by the dry rocks using dry fallen tree limbs.

"It's not as good as yours, but I use it when I'm slightly amused,"

"Cool,"

When the two were done and happy with their bivouac, Quinn started stripping down to her underwear.

"Quinn!" Rachel squealed.

"What? It's not like you've never seen me in a bikini, this is more or less the same thing," Quinn said as she folded her dress to the side and popped her shoes on top of it.

"I only saw you partially like this when we were washing cars,"

"So?"

"You had skirts on at the bottom, which I must say didn't quite make sense,"

"So?"

"I just, I,"

"Rachel it's not like you don't have the same body parts,"

"What are you doing anyway?"

"Swimming, catch you in there if you're not a scaredy-cat,"

And with that Quinn ran around the side to the slightly deeper end, surveyed the water and jumped in.

"Oh my god, slightly cold," Quinn said as she resurfaced, "C'mon Rachel it's not that bad,"

"You don't' have a towel,"

"There are at least three packs of survival Lightload towels in the kit, I saw them, now c'mon,"

Rachel sighed as she too stripped down but instead of jumping straight in like Quinn did, she walked towards the edge and dipped her foot in and squealed.

"It's cold Quinn," she said.

"It's not that bad, besides just jump in and your body will quickly get used to it," she said back.

Rachel sighed as she muttered under her breath _'Why am I doing this? This is insane,'_

She ran to the same spot Quinn did and leapt in, spluttering as she resurfaced.

"See, not so bad is it?" Quinn said.

Rachel just looked at her before splashing water in her face.

Quinn gave her _'Don't start a war you won't win face'_ before splashing her back and the two engaged in a fun and friendly water splashing war.

That escalated to Quinn chasing Rachel through the water and around the area until they reached the top of the waterfall.

They stopped as Quinn looked down the part that dropped, gave Rachel and small smirk and back-flipped off the waterfall and landed safely into the water.

"Oh my god," Rachel said as she stood closer to the edge as Quinn resurfaced.

"Hey Rach," the blonde called up to her.

"I, how'd you do that?" Rachel yelled back.

"Cheerleading, you get over height quite quickly, c'mon, jump, it's perfectly safe,"

"Uh,"

"C'mon Rachel,"

Rachel shook her head as she stood back, then decided to try the rock slide part of the waterfall.

She gauged where to go before sitting down and pushing herself down, squealing in delight as she slide down the rock slide and into the water.

"That was so much fun," she said as she resurfaced.

* * *

By the time it was about lunch, or what they assumed to be lunch, the two were exhausted as they got out of the water, dried themselves and ate while happily chatting about everything and yet nothing particular.

They then got dressed and set out to climb to the top of the hill to get a good look of the area and build a signal.

"I don't know why you called this a hill," Rachel panted as she started to fall back a bit.

"It's not, that bad," Quinn panted too.

"Sure thing Madam Pants-a-lot,"

"You're, phew, you're one to talk, we're almost there,"

"You said that ten hours ago,"

"It has not been ten hours,"

"Feels like it,"

When they reached the summit, it was nicely flat and Rachel collapsed onto the ground while Quinn gazed over the view.

It was beautiful.

"Oh my god," Quinn said as Rachel looked up at her.

She didn't say anything as she stood up and looked around like Quinn did, at first admiring the view before saying, "Oh my god," too.

"Rach, how, how the hell did we manage to survive that coast?"

"I don't know,"

For you see, with this great view, the pair could now see that most of the coast was incredibly unsafe, and parts that were safe were not suitable for anywhere to dock and the places that should be safe either had sharks or were treacherous rock faces, or had jagged rocks just under the surface that if not navigated properly would damage any ship let alone a boat.

"The only places that seem safe enough was where we landed and the river part where the bull sharks enter," Quinn said pointing to where the river entered the sea, "And even some of that part will be shallow, well, not that shallow if a shark can swim through, but you know,"

"I know," Rachel said as she gapped and marvelling at the fact that the two seemed to have survived the impossible.

"Rachel, if anyone did even find us, there'd be no way for them to safely get the ship close enough to get us," Quinn said as Rachel could feel the slight despair in the blonde's voice.

_'What were they going to do now?'_ Rachel thought to herself.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** To the guest who said thank to me for always updating. It is my pleasure, I am enjoying writing this story as most of you seem to be with reading it, and I'm currently on a roll with writing (and I don't like pausing), so Chapter 8 will probably be up very soon as well.

It may slow down after that because I will be working for the next couple of days with my shifts, but I doubt it. (Just don't expect 2-3 chapters each day like today - Lol - like I said, I was just on a roll).  
Anyway, enjoy Chapter 7.

* * *

**Chapter 7:**

Rachel could tell that Quinn was upset, and she didn't know what to do as the blonde sat down at the peak and stared over the island.

"I'm sorry Quinn," Rachel said as she sat down next to her.

"It's not your fault the island is structured the way it is," Quinn said as she wiped a tear from her face, "I just, I really I want to go home,"

"I know, c'mon, we better head down, it looks like a storm is going to hit us and we probably should go to a dryer place," Rachel said as she stood up and held her hand out to help the blonde up.

Quinn just nodded hear head as she took Rachel's hand.

* * *

"I think we went the wrong way, I don't remember this part of the trek," Rachel said as the two walked through the bush.

"Yeah, I don't either, but hey, we've got time right, I mean, I," Quinn started.

"I know you're upset Quinn, but it'll be okay,"

"Will it? We don't know if the people on the ship are okay, let alone if they know we're missing,"

"They have to know by now Quinn, and even if they don't yet because it's only been a couple of days, they will know,"

"And what if they don't? What if we can never go home? What if we're stuck here forever? What if they think we're dead? What then?"

"I don't know,"

"Of course you don't know, you'll never know,"

"Quinn, calm down,"

"I don't want to calm down, I'm angry and frustrated, I just need time to vent okay,"

"Okay, just, we have to be careful, these tracks are treacherous,"

"Do you even want to go back home?"

"Where did that come from Quinn?"

"You don't think I didn't notice it,"

"Notice what?"

"Every time I talk about going home, I noticed how you answered, you never indicated that you were actually wanting to go home, you just acknowledged how I wanted to go home, why don't you want to go home Berry?"

"I'm back to being Berry now?"

"Don't avoid the question,"

"I'm not avoiding anything,"

"Aren't you?"

"Quinn, please, I know you're angry, but don't take it out on me,"

"I'm not taking it out on you,"

"Yes you are,"

"Why don't you ever tell the truth about your family Berry?"

"I am telling you the truth,"

"That's bull,"

"It's not,"

"You know, I kinda want to know what happened with your family Berry, I know a lie when one's used against me because I do exactly what you're doing,"

"I don't want to talk about my family at the moment Quinn, they're fine, there's nothing else to know about it,"

"For someone who claims that talking helps, you don't really talk,"

"Quinn,"

"It's the truth Berry, don't you dare tell me that I don't talk when you're not willing to do the same, now I admitted that I needed help, I opened up to you, but what about you? Where are your Dads? How are you really feeling?"

"I'm not discussing this while we're walking on a treacherous path and you're in an emotional state,"

"I'm only in this state because I'm frustrated that you're not telling me the truth,"

"You just want something to distract you from the possibility that we may not get rescued,"

"No I'm not,"

"Yes you are, why do you always do this Quinn? You take a step forward in something and then something else happens and you revert back to being a…."

"Being a what?"

"A bitch, I know you're angry about a lot of things in life but it doesn't mean you should take it out on me, it's not my fault you can't seem to hold onto anyone long enough for them to love you,"

"Oh thank you for finally telling me the truth about what you think of me,"

"No, Quinn, that's not what I, I just, you're angry, and I'm angry, I didn't mean that,"

"No, no, don't back track, you know what, I need time alone to process, leave me alone,"

"Quinn I'm not leaving you alone like this,"

"Yes you will be, just leave me alone,"

"Quinn, we don't know what this area is like, it's better if we work together here,"

"God and you wonder why people keep leaving you, it's because you never listen to them, they leave to try and get away from you,"

Rachel just stopped.

"Oh god, Rachel, I didn't mean that either," Quinn started.

"No, you did, I, I'll just leave you alone," Rachel stammered.

"No, wait, Rachel don't walk there,"

But Rachel didn't hear more as she slipped and found herself falling from an unknown height. Pain shot through her body as she blacked out.

* * *

The small moments of times when she did open her eyes, Rachel noticed that it was still day time, but Quinn wasn't anywhere to be heard or seen.

She wanted to get up, but her left shoulder hurt like crazy and it wasn't long before she succumbed to the darkness again.

The next time she came to, she realised it was dark out.

_'Maybe Quinn is happy that I'm gone, I mean, we did fight and say things we probably didn't mean,'_ she thought to herself.

Only then did she realise she was back at the ledged cave, it had started to rain, a fire was going and Quinn's back was to her.

"You're awake," Quinn said as she heard Rachel shuffle a bit and looked at her.

Rachel tried to get up, but Quinn stopped her.

"Stop, rest, you dislocated your shoulder, it wasn't bad so I popped it back in, but you'll need to wear a sling for a few days," she said.

The two were quiet before Quinn said, "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have said what I did to you, you were right, I was just frustrated and angry,"

"I'm sorry too, I didn't mean what I said Quinn, I was just frustrated at you," Rachel said as the thunder cracked and she jumped a bit.

"It's just thunder, and it's okay, I understand,"

"How bad is the weather out there?"

"Pretty heavy, but I managed to grab as much wood and kindle as I could find as we don't know how long this storm is going to last,"

"Good idea, how'd you get me here?"

"I had to try and find a safe way down first and that took a while as it wasn't that easy, when I saw your injuries, I decided to dress them after popping your shoulder back in, you woke up once, but blacked out again, I was worried you were going to die, I then carried you as safely as I could down the hillside and brought you back here, we don't know how dry it would have been at the beach or at the waterfall, so you know,"

"Thank you,"

Quinn just smiled sadly before saying, "Since we'll probably be here a while, why don't we talk? I have to ask you Rachel, and please, tell me the truth,"

"I'll try," Rachel said as she turned to look at Quinn.

"I've noticed that you actually never cry, you tear up, you fake cry, but, you don't' actually cry, not even when someone hurts you,"

"I have cried before, remember? When I told Finn about what happened between Noah and I," Rachel said.

"Barring that one time,"

"And there was the time you came after me when I got slushied,"

"I was trying to sympathise, but I guess it didn't come out right and I didn't see that,"

"I needed space to clean up,"

"Hmmm, but like I said, it's rare, I don't think I've ever really seen you cry about anything that hurts you, you just seem so, I don't know, closed up, like you pretend you're fine but really you're not,"

Rachel just looked at her but didn't' say anything.

"I'm just curious as to why," Quinn finished.

"You want the truth right?" Rachel said.

"Yeah,"

"The truth of the matter is, is that no one comes to me when I cry anymore, no one holds me and tells me that I'm going to be okay or that everything is fine, no one comes to my aid when I'm hurt, not even my fathers noticed anymore, so I stopped crying, there was no point to keep crying out for anyone to hear me when I knew exactly that no one would,"

"No one?"

"Nope, no one,"

"But,"

"I don't have loving Fathers Quinn, and if anyone had actually let me in they would have noticed that,"

"Finn?"

"Finn is trusting, I didn't want to tell him that I was alone, like you I had a certain image to uphold,"

"But, I, you, someone could have come right?"

"You have to think about this Quinn, how many people came to my side when I was hurt about anything, my Mom leaving me; my fathers not being around, the slushying, the bullying, everything, who came to be at my side without an ulterior motive?"

"Uh, well,"

"No one,"

Quinn didn't say anything.

"And how many people came to your side or Finn's or everyone else's when they cried or are hurt?"

"Surely someone," Quinn started.

"You should just leave it Quinn, everyone else has,"

The thunder cracked again making Rachel jump and huddle to herself closely.

"Where are your fathers?" Quinn asked softly as she shifted closer to Rachel.

Rachel paused for a moment before saying, "Business trips,"

"How often?"

"They can be gone for months on end, and when they are home they aren't in the house long enough anymore,"

"Since when?"

"Beginning of last year, as the years have gone by they got more work, and with more work came more money and my parents just worked and worked and worked, it's like they forgot about me and my existence,"

"Seriously? Why don't you do something about it?"

"Because they're my Dads Quinn,"

"How do you survive?"

"Look, they may be absent Dads, but they're not horrible people, they give me a lot of money each month and I use it how I want to get what I need,"

"Have you ever talked to them about being away?"

"Why? What's the point?"

"Rachel, parents are human, I know this just as much as most people, they will mess up, it's what makes them human, but leaving your kid alone like this, it's not any better than what my parents did to me when I was pregnant with Beth, at least they made it clear with me,"

Rachel didn't say anything.

"Maybe you should talk to them one day, and if they love you as much as I can see you hope they still do, they'll understand and try and cut back on their work,"

"But we need the money,"

"Rachel think about it, if they loved you so much they would realise you need them more than you'll need their money, they need to work something out, they're neglecting you,"

"I suppose so,"

"Like I said to you before Rachel, you can't change the past, but you can let go and start your future, you can do that with your dads,"

"I'm just afraid that if I ask them for the truth of why they're away all the time, they will tell me it's because they just don't love me anymore,"

"But you don't know that, they could have just gotten so busy that they didn't notice,"

Rachel just nodded as the lightning cracked and she flinched.

"I know how you feel Rachel, all I wanted was someone to love me," Quinn said, "That's all I wanted, someone who could make me feel loved and appreciated,"

"Me too,"

As the thunder got louder and the lightning got brighter, Rachel curled up into a ball and flinched.

"Maybe we should turn in for the night," she said to Quinn who nodded in return.

* * *

As the night went on, Quinn looked over and saw Rachel's body flinch at every lightning flash and thunder roar that plagued the skies as the rain hammered against the ledged cave.

But as always, she noticed, Rachel just didn't cry, she flinched a lot, but no tears, no asking for help, not even when it was just the two of them.

When she was younger, Quinn had cried, and her Dad, (when he loved her back then anyway), used to come into her room and hold her close, telling her that the angels were just bowling and eating fries.

She couldn't imagine not having him come into her room every time she got scared.

Another flash went by and the thunder crashed loudly as Rachel's body shuddered again in fear.

Quinn wondered what it was like to truly be alone. To feel like you didn't have anyone you could rely on. Sure, there were times when she wondered the same thing, but in the end she always had someone come to her aid when she really needed them.

She sighed as she got up and cautiously crawled over to Rachel, slipped under the blanket and held her softly.

Rachel stiffened at the hold as she turned slowly and looked at Quinn who had peacefully snuggled up to her and had softly kissed the side of her head.

"You'll be okay Rachel," Quinn whispered as Rachel looked away, surprised, but slowly relaxed into Quinn's arms as a tear fell from her face.

* * *

**AN 2: **Hope you enjoyed that deep chapter. Just also wanted to say that the bit where Rachel says that 'No one comes to her when she cries' was actually inspired by a Wicked FF and that quote was there somewhere but said by Elphaba (yes I'm a Wicked fan), and I realised how that applied so much to Rachel too.  
Sadly I don't really remember the name of the work and which author, but credit for that inspiration goes to them.  
((I think the title was something along the lines of 'Does no one even love you' or something like that))

Anyway, stay tuned, Chapter 8 is coming up.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

As the days rolled by, Quinn found that she was enjoying being around Rachel, the brunette no matter what situation they were in seemed bring a joy the blonde never thought she'd ever experience again. And vice versa.

And while Rachel was recovering from her shoulder injury, it gave the girls more time to get to know each other, as well as carefully explore the island around them. (Since they couldn't really climb or hike as much as they wished they could).

They had found another waterfall spot, but Rachel exclaimed that it wasn't as nice as their current one.

Mind you, it didn't stop the two of them from swimming there together.

Another day, they found a reason why there were so many sharks around, there was a seal colony on the other side of the island that was hidden from view when they were standing on top of the tallest hill the other day.

They did their best to avoid the colony. And potentially run into a Great White, as Quinn pointed out that sea lions were part of a shark's diet and Great Whites were usually around when there were seals around.  
Plus, sea lions are also wild animals and unpredictable, and while people may not believe it, they are actually quite fast on land too.

Rachel just nodded her head in agreement.

Seeing one shark was enough and the prospect of getting bitten or chased by a sea lion wasn't something she wanted either.

Some days they would be playing checkers with the board they had managed to create out of the stones and a flat rock they found.

"You're cheating," Quinn laughed one day as the two were sitting at their beach bivouac and enjoying the sun after the rain storm had passed two days ago.

"I assure you Quinn I most certainly am not," Rachel assured.

"Then why do you keep beating me at this?"

"Because I am the epitome of awesome at Checkers,"

Quinn had laughed at that, "We totally need to create a chess board,"

"We should, it'll be fun, I'm the master at chess,"

"You've never played against me, so we'll see, chess is different from checkers and I'm quite good at playing it,"

"You mean for a blonde," Rachel teased.

"I am ignoring that insult," Quinn laughed.

* * *

Other days Rachel would be sitting next to Quinn as they went fishing, the blonde would have to be the one to cast the line and reel it in, and occasionally they caught something worth eating. And as they were scaling and gutting the fish together, the two would be talking about their future or just exchanging stories to pass the time.

"Oh there was this one time, it was so funny, Santana had sat down on the chair without realising that Becky had put her chocolate cake on the seat, and her butt was completely covered in chocolate, it was so funny," Quinn laughed.

"Why didn't you give her a hard time about it?" Rachel asked.

"Well, she was having a hard day, besides, Brittany gave me the pout,"

"What is so powerful about Brittany's pout?"

"You've never been on the end of that pout have you?"

"Not that I know of,"

"When you are, you'll see why people crack so easily around her,"

"Poor Santana, how'd she get out of school without anyone noticing? Well, except for you of course,"

"Finn, he decided to walk behind her until she could get to her car, take off her pants and drive home,"

"I have to know when this happened?"

"A few weeks before prom,"

"Finn really can be a nice guy huh?"

"Yeah he can, I just wish he would make up his mind as to whether he liked me or you,"

"I think he has,"

"What makes you say that?"

"We were talking before the cruise started, I wanted to try again, but he told me that we needed a break from each other, I asked if it was because he still liked you and he truthfully said, 'no it wasn't', that he and I needed time apart to consider life, he said that he will always like both of us and that we hold a special place in his heart, but he just doesn't see either of us with him as anything beyond a friend,"

"Wow, he said that, like that?"

"Yeah,"

"So what are you gonna do about Finn when you get back?"

"Nothing, he's a great friend, and the more I think about it the more I think he has a point, our time is done as the potential leads in each other's lives, and I guess I'll just have to wait for that someone else to be my lead,"

"There is someone out there for you Rachel,"

"I hope so,"

Other days as Rachel slept, Quinn found herself staring into the horizon and the ocean as the sun would rise.

The water was just beautiful as it glistened from the sunlight and Quinn found it hard to look away.

It was moments like these she treasured the most because they were quiet and serene, it was a peace she hadn't felt before and it was at times like these that she felt like she didn't care whether they were ever rescued or not.

* * *

About a week and a bit after Rachel's injury, Quinn was providing Rachel with a lot of entertainment as the two girls had gone fishing in the ocean, as opposed to the river side, Quinn had caught a decent sized fish, only to have it stolen by a seal pup that had appeared out of nowhere that day on the beach.

"Hey, get back here, that's mine," Quinn yelled as the seal pup ran away from her.

Rachel was too busy laughing to try and get up and help the annoyed blonde.

The seal pup just kept running away and making a small noise that sounded like it was amused, the fish still in its mouth.

The pup had decided to stop for a moment and Quinn decided she'd try and pounce on it, but just as she did, the pup moved again and Quinn did a face-plant into the sand. Rachel was roaring with laughter by this stage.

"Get back here," Quinn growled as she scrambled up and started running after the pup again until it went into the one place Quinn refused to follow it to, the ocean, "Dammit,"

When she got back to Rachel, the tiny brunette was still laughing.

"If you weren't still recovering, I'd be kicking your ass," Quinn said through gritted teeth.

"Oh Quinn, if I had my phone I'd be taking a video of this and putting it on Youtube, you'd be viral in ten minutes," Rachel laughed.

"Shut up, now I have to go catch dinner again,"

"Quinn sit down, take a break, we're in no hurry, besides, we still have some rations left over,"

"But I like fishing, and I put some effort into that catch, next time we're spear fishing,"

"I'm imaging a dolphin coming up to the spear and taking the fish from you,"

"Shut up,"

* * *

As night fell, Quinn had started a fire so that the two could lay next to each other to star gaze and keep warm.

"You know any of the constellations?" Quinn asked.

"No, I just like staring up at them, and with no light pollution, the sky is beautiful," Rachel answered.

"Yeah it is,"

She felt Rachel curl up against her and she unconsciously let her fingers run through the brunette's hair.

"It really is nice and peaceful here," Quinn said as she continued to stroke Rachel's hair.

"It is, my shoulder's feeling better by the way, maybe tomorrow you and I can go swimming in the ocean,"

"With those sharks in there?"

"Well, more because, well, remember when we were building the shelter the day after we landed here?"

"Yeah,"

"Remember that part of the boat was missing, I'm assuming it's somewhere in the water, from my assumptions, there aren't any sharks that frequent that particular spot, we could go in and try and see if there are any more supplies down there, or at least see if the rocks really are as high as we think they are,"

"I don't know, I have a bad feeling about that,"

"I know, but you don't have to go in, you could just look out for me here,"

"No, I'm going to go in with you, we'll take the spear along,"

"Okay,"

"What do we do if there's no supplies?"

"We swim back, unless of course the boat is in easy to move pieces,"

"Okay, well, shall we go get some sleep?"

"Yeah,"

Quinn reluctantly got up, even though she suggested the rest, and pulled Rachel up with her.

When the two got back to the beach bivouac, Rachel lay down next to Quinn and curled up against her.

"Goodnight Rachel," Quinn said softly as she ran a finger across Rachel's cheek.

"Goodnight Quinn," Rachel said as she leaned up softly and placed her lips against Quinn's before she curled against the blonde's chest and fell asleep.

Quinn didn't sleep, she was shocked, Rachel had kissed her. And she wasn't freaking out or mad…in fact, she kinda liked it.

She smiled as she kissed Rachel's forehead and went to sleep.

* * *

The next morning Quinn woke with Rachel still in her arms, she smiled at the sleeping brunette as she softly caressed her cheek.

"Hi," Rachel said.

"Hello," Quinn said.

"So, uh, shall we get breakfast?"

"Yeah, sounds good to me,"

The two ate in a relaxed silence, Rachel was just worried that Quinn would be mad at her.

"If you're worried that I'm mad at you, I'm not, just surprised, pleasantly surprise," Quinn said.

"Really?" Rachel said surprised.

"Yeah,"

But they didn't say more on the subject as they continued to eat.

After breakfast, the two went towards the water and as they stripped to their underwear and kicked off their shoes, Rachel let out a pained yelp.

"Rachel, are you okay?" Quinn asked.

"Oh god, my shoulder," Rachel started.

"I'll go Rachel, just tell me whereabouts to go, and I'll go there, you stay here,"

"But,"

"I have the spear with me, I'll be fine, besides, sharks will probably be at the other end,"

"You shouldn't go alone,"

"But if there are supplies, why not try right? And you can't swim like this,"

"Just be careful okay,"

"I'll be careful,"

"Um, so, how do you plan to see underwater?"

"Did you know that I have the ability to see underwater?"

"No, how?"

"Well, when I was a kid, I loved going to the ocean, it was freeing, I taught myself how to see underwater by closing my pupils as far as my body would let me so that I could see better, I don't remember how I did it, I just know I can and it's stuck with me since, I'll be fine, I can see clearly,"

"Okay, as long as you're safe and sure,"

"And I can hold my breath for about a minute underwater,"

"Wow, really?"

"Yeah, all leads back to when I was a kid,"

"You have to help me train for that when I get better,"

Quinn nodded her head and smiled as she walked into the water.  
But before she dove in, she turned back to look at Rachel and said in cheek, "You know, you can leave that off until I come back right? Or better yet, just leave it off all together even after I'm back,"

"Quinn!" Rachel screeched as she turned red while Quinn laughed as she dove into the water.

It had been at least fifteen minutes as Rachel watched Quinn dive and swim around, shaking her head each time she came up to indicate she hadn't spotted anything yet.

It was in the last few minutes of the fifteen, that Quinn dove again that something in the pit of Rachel's stomach started to go wrong.

Rachel was sat on the sand and sighed as she looked out into the water and saw the one thing she really didn't want to see in the water.

A triangular dorsal fin.

"Oh no, Quinn," Rachel started as she got up from the sand.

But the blonde was nowhere in sight.

"QUINN!" she yelled again as she saw a smaller shadow swimming the water, away from the shark, "QUINN GET OUT OF THE WATER,"

She felt panicked as she saw where the shark was swimming to, it was going in the direction that Quinn was swimming in.

"No, no, no," Rachel started, "No,"

She noticed the shadow in the water that looked like Quinn swimming as quickly away as possible and towards the jagged rocks further on.

She didn't have a choice but to follow on land, her heart pounding against her chest.

The shark had picked up speed.

"No," she said quietly in a panic.

She saw the shark attack and drag the figure through the water, thrashing and becoming wild for a bit under the surface of ocean before the water turned red with blood and Quinn's spear could be seen floating on the surface.

Rachel couldn't do anything but scream, "QUINN!"

* * *

**AN:** Just a note, yes, it is possible (according to a documentary) to train your eyes to see underwater.  
And yes, sea lions are actually quite fast on land, how do I know? Because I got chased by one on land once, the other time I was kayaking and was "chased" through the water.

Anyway, chapter 9 will be up at some stage, hope you enjoyed this one.  
(And I would say sorry for ending chapter 8 here, but you know I wouldn't mean it).


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: **Just a fair warning, this chapter is a bit sad as it will deal with Rachel dealing with grief.  
I was going to put in the Catholic Prayer for the Dead, but it didn't feel right doing so, it just felt off putting it in, so I took it out.

Also, because I respect the Jewish tradition, I didn't put the Jewish Prayers in either and also because I felt, it just wouldn't be right.

**AN2:** Again, I apologise for the missing words and potential typos in the story, I saw a few words missing yesterday when I went over Ch 8 and I was quite grouchy at myself because I checked over the story a couple of times before posting it.  
Anyway, here's Chapter 9. Chapter 10 won't be far away.

* * *

**Chapter 9:**

It was the blood that got her, so much blood. It made her feel sick and wrecked with guilt.

"QUINN, NO, YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME, QUINN!" Rachel screamed as she collapsed onto the sand and felt tears fall from her face as she looked over the water, "QUINN!"

Her body was now shaking with tears, grief and guilt.

Quinn was gone and it was all her fault.

If she didn't tell her that she wanted to go and try and retrieve pieces of the boat and see if there were more supplies, Quinn would have been safely on land.

The spear Quinn was using had floated back towards the island as Rachel went slowly into the water to pick it up.

The shark was now out of sight and the blood in the water was slowly disappearing.

She sat back on the sand and cried, clutching onto the spear and Quinn's dress tightly in her hands.

* * *

As the hours flew by, she was still sitting on the sand. Crying, and though her tears had ebbed the sorrow in her heart did not.

She got up and collected their dresses and shoes, and carried them along with the spear back to the beach bivouac feeling completely empty and hollow.

A person had died and it was her fault. That was the only thing that was going through her mind. It was on a constant repeat.

As she put her dress back on, she decided to walk along the beach to see if there was any chance for her to see the blonde, if only to prove to herself and to her brain and logic that Quinn may yet still be alive.

"She can't be dead," Rachel said to herself, "She can't be dead,"

But after walking and looking for hours, and as night began to fall, Rachel's mind began to tell her what her heart would not accept.

Quinn was gone, and she was never coming back.

On instinct Rachel began reciting a prayer for the dead that she learnt in Hebrew school, adding Quinn's name and Mother's name, (though it wasn't traditional for her to do either, but she figured Quinn wouldn't want her Father's name anywhere near her soul and there was no one else to recite the Jewish Prayer but her); into the prayer she spoke in Hebrew.

She knew Quinn wasn't Jewish, but she felt it was respectful to do so.

Rachel took the tip of the spear that she was still carrying, even though she had dropped everything else back at the beach bivouac and made a small tear on her dress, over her heart.

She wasn't sure what Quinn could have been to her, but she knew where she wanted it to go and what she wanted it to be, and she was certain that the blonde felt the same way. But now they'd never know.

As Rachel burst into tears again, she began to recite the Catholic prayers for the dead as she could remember them, since Quinn was Catholic.

When the prayers were all recited, Rachel fell into despair. She couldn't move, she couldn't think, she just didn't know what to do. She felt numb.

She walked over to a pile of rocks and started stacking them together, but couldn't finish it as she collapsed again and cried herself to sleep.

But her dreams would not let her sleep.

_Rachel was walking along the beach, Quinn was in front of her, but no matter how close she tried to get to the blonde, she couldn't reach her._

_"Quinn," she called out._

_But Quinn didn't turn._

_Rachel ran as fast as she could, but nothing happened._

_She tried to run again, but realised she was stuck in one spot, and no matter how hard she tried to run, she just couldn't._

_Suddenly Quinn was swept into the ocean, screaming as she disappeared into the water, a large dark mass approached her, _

_her blood churned the water red as she disappeared from sight in the waves and Rachel was left screaming as she finally broke free and ran to where Quinn was taken._

_The desperation, the fear, the guilt, it was hitting her again in one go and she couldn't breathe._

_She heard a small noise behind her and turned, only to gasp and almost gag as to who was in front of her._

_"You're the reason I am condemned to HELL!" Quinn screamed at her, her body was pale and bleeding as obvious shark bites were everywhere, "I'm dead and it's all YOUR FAULT!"_

Rachel screamed as she bolted up and realised it was now night time.

The moon had lit the beach enough for her so she could make her way back to the beach bivouac, she was exhausted and decided that she'd finish Quinn's memorial in the morning. Her heart was in too much pain to continue now.

* * *

When the sun rose the next day, Rachel rubbed her eyes awake, forgetting for one moment what had happened the prior day until it all came flooding back and she felt numb again.

"No, Quinn's alive," she argued with herself.

_'Except she's not,'_ her mind argued back, _'Quinn is not coming back, you saw it yourself,'_

"She's coming back, she is,"

_'No, she's not, and you're going to have to accept that,'_

Rachel shook her head angrily at herself.

_'She's gone Rachel, she's not coming back,'_

"She is coming back, you'll see, she's coming back,"

_'Like everyone else in your life, she left and as always it was your fault,'_

"She's coming back,"

_'You know that's a lie,"_

"No it's not,"

_'The least you can do is finish her memorial, give her soul peace,'_

And that was the last of the argument between herself and her brain.

As the day wore on, Rachel finally left the beach bivouac, Quinn's dress was laying there on the ground where the two would normally sleep, she had held onto it in her restless sleep during the night.

Rachel forced herself to eat the small left overs she had, even if it made her feel sick, as she finally got up and went to where she laid out the memorial rocks.

Before finishing its' construction however, she went back to the water edge where she last saw Quinn swimming, glancing over the water but being careful not to stare for too long as she didn't want to go blind.

But still nothing, just some gulls and a couple of seals swimming around. But no Quinn.

She ran in the direction of where Quinn was swimming to, but still nothing. Not in the water, not on land.

She had no choice but to trudge back to where she had started to stack the rocks to honour Quinn's passing.

Her feet felt like lead as she finished stacking them before realising she was out of food and she needed to go fishing.

She didn't want to do anything, let alone fish, but knew that if she didn't do it now, she'd probably not get food for the next twenty-four hours.

Realising that she had Quinn's spear, she decided to go spear fishing with her good arm at the river.

After an hour, she caught two fish, which she tied to her spear with string before venturing inland to collect some fruit before heading back to the beach bivouac.

She saw a seal pup move past her as it looked at her, wanting the fish on her spear, but Rachel didn't react to it as she kept walking.

The seal pup gave her a cry that made her stop.

"I can't feed you," she said to it.

The seal pup just gave her a look.

Rachel sighed as she took one of the fish and threw it at the seal pup, who caught it and started eating it.

When she was back at the beach bivouac she started a fire and then began gutting and scaling the fish.

She heard a noise and realised that the seal pup had followed her.

"Argh, go away, I'm in no mood for you, please, leave me alone," she said, even though she knew it wouldn't understand her.

Still the pup didn't leave her alone.

She gave the pup the innards of the fish she had cut out as she started cooking the fish and eating the fruit.

Her thoughts drifted back to Quinn and Lima.

Lima, the one place Quinn wanted to go back to and then escape from later; and it was the thought of Quinn that made her cry again.

Now animals are interesting things, as humans we tend to dumb them down, pretend that we are the superior of the species when really, sometimes animals have more humanity and intellect than we do.

They perceive things far better than we can. They sometimes just know when something is not right.

Rachel knew that this doesn't happen often in the wild, and she didn't know why this happened, but she was glad it did, the seal pup moved up to her and offered its' head to her to pat as it tried to snuggle up to her in a comforting way.

She hugged the pup around its neck, "I just want to tell her that I'm sorry," she cried.

The seal pup made an odd sound but didn't move until sometime later, adjusting itself in her arms.

"I just wanted to tell her that I think I'm falling for her, and now I can't," she continued in tears.

The seal pup just stayed there where it was, letting go some deep breaths as Rachel cried.

Eventually Rachel stopped hugging the seal pup and started to finish eating the meal she had.

The pup decided it was time for it to disappear, Rachel watched it disappear into the ocean and swim away. The sun was almost setting and Rachel knew it would be dark soon, she needed to collect some more fruit. Which she did.

As she walked back to the beach bivouac, she felt something was amiss.

She looked around and realised that something was gone from the area.

Some of the rations had been opened, how did she know? The bag looked smaller and was in a different area, and Quinn's gear was missing.

_'Damn monkeys, it has to be them,'_ Rachel thought angrily as she ran into the forest to try and track them down.

She was going to get Quinn's clothes back, they were Quinn's and Quinn's alone, no one and no animal was allowed to have it.

She trekked through the forest until she could hear them above her, but she couldn't quite see if they had what she wanted back.

When she couldn't reach them, she let out a frustrated yell before she trekked back to the beach bivouac.

She noticed a shadow moving around closer to the bivouac and remembered that there were deer on the island, and she figured if she was fast enough, maybe she could catch and kill it. The meat would provide for quite a few days if she dried it.

She tiptoed to the area and raised her spear, ready to strike, only to drop it when she realised what was staring right back at her.

Rachel felt her breath escape from her body as she felt herself freeze on the spot.

_'Oh no,'_ she thought to herself.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

_'No, I'm dreaming, this can't be real,'_ Rachel thought to herself as she took a step back and looked at the figure in the beach bivouac.

_'It has to be a bear of some nature,'_ she thought to herself, but she couldn't recall seeing any indications of any species of bear on the island, _'This can't be happening,'_

She wanted to be quiet, just in case what she saw would turn around and attack her like a demon.

Unfortunately for her, she tripped while trying to go backwards and landed on the sand letting out a yelp at the same time.

"Rachel?" the voice said as the figure walked up to the brunette.

It was Quinn, standing there in front of her bleeding a bit on her head and arm, but otherwise okay.

Rachel rubbed her eyes and slapped herself in the face trying to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

When Quinn was still standing there looking at her like she had gone crazy, relief washed over her like rain as she got up and flung herself into Quinn's arms.

"Oh my god," Rachel said as she cried, "You're real right?"

"Very," Quinn answered as she wrapped her arms tightly around Rachel and held her so close that Rachel could hear her heart beating, "Just, ow, I'm still sore in places,"

"I'm sorry," Rachel muffled as she listened to Quinn's heartbeat.

"It's okay,"

"No it's not,"

"Yes it is, I'm okay, see,"

"You were gone for the whole day and night,"

"I know,"

"I thought you were dead,"

"I'm sorry,"

"Where were you?"

"I passed out from shock and exhaustion, I must have swum a little further up past the jagged rocks, I was trying to lose the stupid animal, when I got to shore, I was so tired that I pulled myself inland as far as possible before passing out, I'm sorry I made you worry, I would have come back sooner; when I came back here after I came to, you weren't here so I got dressed, grabbed a couple of rations, and figured maybe you were back at the ledged cave, but you weren't, so I tried to find you at the waterfall, and you weren't there either, and then I was hungry again and thirsty, so I ate and drank then rested, and then thought maybe you were back at the beach, and if I had any chance of finding you, perhaps I should try and stay in one spot and here you are,"

"You shouldn't scare me,"

"I wasn't trying to,"

"We must have just missed each other,"

"Must have,"

"I kept trying to find you, I walked up and down that beach from where you entered the water and where I lost you, but I couldn't see you Quinn,"

Quinn just gave her a sad smile as she kissed the side of Rachel's head.

"What did it catch?" Rachel asked, "There was so much blood,"

"Luckily for me, there was an adult seal swimming next to me, I managed to swim away in time and went behind one of the jagged rocks as the seal swam in front of me, the shark saw it, gave chase, dragged it away and began eating, I figured I better rush out of the water before I drowned or got eaten by another potential shark,"

"What species was it?"

"Well, it wasn't a Great White, probably a Bull Shark, I was too freaked out to really look,"

"I'm just glad you're okay, wait, you're still bleeding though,"

"Uh,"

"Quinn?"

"Okay, so maybe the shark got too close for comfort,"

"Quinn!"

"Nothing bad happened, I managed to bonk it on the nose with my spear, it reacted, I lost my spear as it thrashed and hit my head a bit, my arm was cut because I panicked and swam towards the rocks without looking,"

Rachel let out a sound similar to a grunt as she leaned her head against Quinn's chest again, "We need to tend to those wounds and then we have to take your memorial down," she whispered.

"My what?" Quinn asked.

"Memorial, I thought you were dead so I recited the Jewish and Catholic prayers for the dead before putting it up,"

"You know the Catholic prayers for the dead?"

"Yeah, my Dad is Catholic, my Daddy is Jewish,"

"Oh, wait, you really put a memorial up for me?"

"Yeah, you're my friend Quinn, I was grieving, I even tore a part of my dress,"

"Over your heart, wow,"

"Yeah,"

Quinn smiled as Rachel tried to lead her over to the beach bivouac, but Quinn wanted to see the memorial stones first, when there she dismantled it.

"I'm very much alive," Quinn said as she took Rachel's hand, "I hope I will be for a very, very, long time,"

Rachel just gave her a smile.

* * *

When they got back to the beach bivouac, Rachel cleaned and dressed Quinn's arm before she cleaned the cut on her forehead and put a Band-Aid over it.

"Thanks," Quinn said.

"Welcome," Rachel said back.

Quinn kissed Rachel's lips softly as she pulled the still crying brunette into her arms, "I'm okay, we're okay," she whispered.

"I just, I can't believe you're back,"

"I'm back, so you better believe it,"

Rachel turned her head and kissed Quinn deeply and Quinn kissed her back as she lay Rachel down and kissed her neck before going back to kiss her lips.

"I just want you to know that I think I'm really, really, falling for you Quinn Fabray," Rachel whispered as Quinn smiled and pecked her lips.

"You know what? I think I'm really, really, falling for you too Rachel Berry,"

* * *

Rachel did sometimes think about what her first time would be like.  
She imagined it would be on a bed in a hotel room with rose petals, champagne, scented candles and just after she had won her first Tony Award at the age of twenty-five. Or perhaps she would have been married young to her leading man and they were celebrating her getting the role of her dreams as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl in their small one bedroom apartment.

She never thought it'd be here at the beach of a deserted island with her former enemy under the stars at a beach bivouac.

Quinn had made her feel special and she hoped to God that she made her feel special too.

And judging by the smile on Quinn's face as the sun rose that morning, Rachel was certain that she made her feel special too.

She curled up against the blonde as she felt Quinn's fingers caress the side of her body.

She smiled as she pressed her head against Quinn's chest to hear her heartbeat.

"You're happy," Quinn said as she looked over at Rachel who looked back up at her.

"I am, you're here so I'm happy," she said.

"It wouldn't have anything to do with what we did last night would it?"

"No, of course no," Rachel teased.

Quinn laughed, "What would you like to do today?"

"We need to go catch food,"

"Fancy shark for dinner?"

Rachel slapped Quinn's arm.

"Ow," Quinn said in mocked pain.

"You deserved that, that was too soon," Rachel said annoyed.

"Okay, okay, sorry, but really, fancy shark for dinner? Because those things are huge, we'd eat for a while,"

"But neither of us eat that much, deer would be better,"

"Deer?"

"Yeah, we can dry the meat,"

"True, where can we find deer?"

"There are a few of them here on the island, so,"

"Okay, how are we going to hunt and kill them though?"

"The cave man way,"

"I see, well, before we do that, wanna go swimming at the waterfall? We still have some left over rations, not much, but we've been good at saving them,"

"True, waterfall sounds great,"

"We need to get dressed first though, and I don't really want to move,"

"You weren't complaining about it last night,"

Quinn just smirked as she kissed Rachel good morning.

* * *

As the two got up and dressed, they heard a distant barking.

Rachel walked out of the beach bivouac and said, "Aww, you're back,"

Quinn soon exited and glared at the offending creature.

"That's the seal pup that stole my fish, I know it," Quinn said as she glared at the pup.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked.

"Yes,"

"You know, it's actually a sea lion not a seal, seals can't move sat up like that,"

"Sat up?"

"You know, like what he's doing now, you know, looking like he walks on all fours,"

"Oh I see,"

"And did you know that sea lions have external ears and longer flippers than their seal counter parts?" Rachel stated rather than asked.

"Well, I didn't know that, but I do now," Quinn said as she took Rachel's hand.  
"Can we keep him, please?" Rachel pleaded as she shook Quinn's arm softly.  
"How do you know if it's a he?"

"We'll give it an ambiguous name, so it won't matter,"

"Rachel, we're not keeping a pet seal,"

"But he's so cute; I fed him some of my fish yesterday,"

"Rachel, you don't feed wild animals,"

"I help feed you,"  
"I don't cou…..what did you just call me?"

"Do I run?"

"Advisable,"

Rachel squealed as she ran away from Quinn.

"You're in for it Berry!" Quinn yelled playfully as she gave chase.

You know, one often has to wonder what people actually do when they catch the person that they're after. If you think about it, they always show such things in movies or television shows for a comedic input where one party or person chases another, but you never see the result of what happens when they're caught.

Needless to say that when Quinn caught up with Rachel and tackled her to the ground, she didn't quite know what to do with her victory so she resorted to her five year old self and started tickling the brunette.

"Ow, stop, I got it, you win, get off," Rachel laughed.

"Say it," Quinn said as she kept tickling her.

"Say, say, say what?"

"I'm not a wild animal,"

"I can't,"

"Yes you can, say it,"

"Okay, you're not a wild animal, you're not,"

"I am the boss and master,"

"No you're not,"

"Say it,"

"No,"

"I'll keep tickling,"

"I'm not saying it,"

But before Quinn could say anything else, an angry bark could be heard as the seal pup started racing towards them.

"What the?" Quinn started then realised why it was running at her and stood up, "Holy crap, call your baby off,"

Rachel sat up and laughed, "See Quinn, it wants to stay with us,"

"It stole my fish,"

The seal pup just stared at Quinn, it had stopped chasing because it realised Quinn was actually a whole lot bigger than it was.

Rachel gave her a small pout.

"Fine we'll keep Scruffy," Quinn muttered.

"No, we're not calling it Scruffy, we'll call it Kelly," Rachel said.

"Why Kelly?"

"Ambiguous name,"

"No not Kelly,"

"What name do you want then?"

"Spot,"

"It doesn't have any spots,"

"Fine, how about Frankie? Works as a girl name, works as a boy name,"

"It's cute, fine, Frankie it is,"

As they got up and walked along the beach, Frankie happily waddling behind them, Quinn turned to Rachel and said, "You know one thing I wonder,"

"What?" Rachel asked.

"How did we miss the seal colony when we walked around the island? I'm sure we walked along that spot before and we didn't see any of them,"

"Maybe they were out hunting when we were there, or they were there and we just didn't notice, but because we didn't pose a threat to them, they didn't chase us,"

"I suppose, I just find it odd,"

"There are perfectly good reasons as to why we didn't see them when we first got here Quinn,"

"Fine, fine, I just wondered where they all came from all of a sudden,"

"I think you just want to know because you're still mad that Frankie stole your fish,"

"I'm that transparent huh?"

"Yeah pretty much,"

Quinn laughed.

* * *

Another few days had now rolled by, they had lost count because they kept forgetting to update the wall chart, but neither seemed to care.

All the rations they had saved from the survival kits were gone and the thoughts of being rescued had started to diminish.

But for some reason neither girl seemed to care anymore, especially Quinn.

Even though they had eventually built a large human looking signal on top of the hill, they also realised there weren't any ships going past, or planes.

Rachel had once suggested that they build a boat or raft, but Quinn vetoed the idea stating that it was a risk they shouldn't take as it was too dangerous, there were no other islands in sight and the ocean was unpredictable.

Rachel just nodded her head.

Frankie seemed to be around more often these days, Quinn assumed because the pup had no family. The pup acted like it was a dog, it would play fetch with the sticks Rachel threw, would growl at the monkeys whenever they came too close to the camp, and would wail when the girls would disappear for some time to their other shelters and Frankie couldn't follow.

Other days Frankie would be with Quinn as she went fishing and then would heel closely to her as she walked back to the camp with the fishes tied around her waist, but like a good dog, the sea lion didn't take any of the fish and waited until either Rachel or Quinn feed it.

Rachel had also created a chess board, or rather, she just created chess pieces that could replace their checkers one when needed and was dismayed whenever Quinn would beat her.

Quinn was good at strategy.

"You have to be good at strategy with my background," Quinn said with a victorious smirk.

"I'm supposed to be good at chess, I am in the chess club," Rachel pouted.

"Just because you're in a chess club it doesn't mean you're a chess master any more than me being in a mechanics work shop makes me a mechanic,"

"Fine, I still want to know how you do it though,"

"Do what?"

"You just memorised the spots, you didn't even have to look, you just say things like Knight to B5 and that's all there is to it,"

"Practice Rachel,"

Rachel just huffed at that.

Over time the two grew closer as couples do when they put effort and time in for each other, and they were happy. The island had become their home, their safe place.

Life was pretty good, but as always, when good happens, sometimes bad always seems to follow it, and one day Quinn woke up with a panic in her voice.

"Rachel?" Quinn started.

"Yeah,"

"Is it still night time?"

"No, why?"

"Rachel,"

"What's wrong Quinn?"

Quinn burst into tears, "Rachel, I can't, I can't see anything, it's all pitch black, I can't see,"

"Oh no, how?"

"I don't know, I must have been staring at the ocean too much or something when we were at the beach, I can't see,"

"Hey, shh, I'll be here for you, okay, I'll help you,"

"Oh my god, I'm blind,"

"I'll be here for you Quinn, you'll be okay," Rachel said soothingly as she kissed the side of Quinn's head while thinking, _'Why can't either of us ever catch a break?'_

* * *

**AN: **Quinn returning wasn't actually going to be in this chapter, I originally wanted to make it a bit longer before either girl found the other, but thought, 1. That's a bit mean, 2. It just didn't work and the chapters weren't writing in that direction, the more I thought it over, the more I realised I couldn't quite write the chapters as I wanted without switching to Quinn's point of view, so she is back here in Chapter 10 instead.

Hope you guys enjoyed that, the roll I was on seems to have stopped, but that doesn't mean I won't be doing consistent updates, it just means it'll be one chapter as opposed to two to three per day. Lol.

**AN 2: **Oh, and before I forget, I know a few of you were/are annoyed with how the last chapter went, but I did put a warning about it being a sad chapter at the very beginning telling you it was going to be about Rachel dealing with her grief - just to let you know. :-)


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

For the first few days after Quinn went blind, Rachel and her stayed by the beach bivouac so that she could get used to walking around.

Frankie was there some days and the seal pup seemed content with hanging around Quinn's feet, playing with her, it was like the pup realised that Quinn was blind and couldn't see anymore, though that may have also been the fact that the first day Frankie came to see them Quinn had stepped on the pup's flippers by accident.

The result, Frankie was crying and attempting to bite Quinn's heel and Rachel was pulling the pup back and Quinn was looking around bewildered and wondering what had happened.

Over time, Frankie had a routine set up for the days for when the girls would be at the beach bivouac, the pup would wake the girls up in the morning by going up to Quinn and seal barking in her ear making her get up and to Rachel, the pup would slobber on her face, making Rachel say "Ew, FRANKIE!"

That would be followed by the two having breakfast, and if there was fish, Frankie would get one too, it was like the girls always had one around, just in case.

When that was over, Rachel would go fishing as Quinn sat mindlessly on the beach, at first it took a bit of getting used to, but Frankie would grab a stick, go up to Quinn's hand, make her grab it, and whenever Quinn threw the stick away, the seal pup ran after it and came back with it.

Quinn eventually figured out what the pup wanted and the game of fetch was created between the two.

On the days when Quinn was trying to make rope, the pup would happily lay about her feet and snuggle on top of them or go swimming in the ocean.

If Quinn wasn't in a very interactive mood, the pup would follow Rachel to wherever she would go fishing, the latest spot was where Quinn had shown Rachel where she dragged herself up on to land after the shark incident.

The flat rocks provided good grounding and at that spot the waves weren't high or strong, and the fishes in the water were evident and a good size.

Sometimes Quinn would join them and sit not too far from Rachel, Frankie deciding to keep her company as the girls chatted away, and having Quinn stroke the pup's fur.

Quinn for the most part still felt useless though, and she hated it. It frustrated her when Rachel, who had healed completely by then with regards to her shoulder, had to go and do all the hunting and all the work, she couldn't seem to do anything.

Rachel wanting to be there for her just let her vent and be angry, and Quinn would always feel bad after she had screamed or yelled.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so frustrated and angry," Quinn said as she and Rachel were eating some dried deer meat.

They had caught the deer the day before Quinn went blind, it was a hilarious afternoon, this time it was Rachel who looked like a bumbling fool making Quinn laugh uncontrollably.

When Rachel said she wanted to catch the deer like a cave man, she actually meant it. Quinn was ready to pounce on the deer but seeing Rachel scream and run around and acting like a gorilla and then flailing her arms erratically was just too hilarious a sight that she fell over in laughter.

_"Quinn, you didn't catch the deer,"_ _Rachel grumbled._

_"Oh my god Rachel, you looked too funny, you looked like you were trying to be a gorilla," Quinn laughed._

_"I told you, I scare the deer to you and you get it,"_

_"You seriously acted like a cave man, oh my god,"_

_"Quinn stop laughing, we have to get food,"_

_"Sure thing my lovely cave woman,"_

In the end they had caught the deer, got the meat and fur they wanted and threw whatever was left over to the sharks, literally.

"I know you're hurting and angry Quinn, it's okay," Rachel said as she cuddled up to the blonde.

"It's not okay, me yelling at you is not going to make this better," Quinn said as she reached out and put her arm around Rachel's shoulder.

"But it helps,"

"I want to be able to help you,"

"And you do,"  
"How?"

"Believe it or not, you are actually really good at making rope, I just have to get you the materials,"

"How do I know you're not humouring me,"

"Because I don't want to lie to you,"

"I just, I hate being still and doing nothing,"

"You keep me sane,"

Quinn smiled as she tried to find Rachel's face with her fingers, turned the brunette's head towards her and kissed what she thought were her lips.

"That was my eye," Rachel laughed as she leaned her head up a bit and kissed Quinn's lips.

Quinn just grumbled.

* * *

Eventually Quinn came up with the idea of having a rope system, there was enough that she made while bored and Rachel was out hunting, and she decided that perhaps they make a safe trail between the three camps.

Rachel loved the idea so much that she began helping to make rope too.

Over the next few days, Quinn eventually got used to going between the three camps without Rachel's help.

"That's a victory right there," Rachel had said to the grinning blonde.

As for hunting, Rachel eventually noticed something interesting every time Quinn went near the water with her spear clutched in her hands. She wondered why she never noticed this before.

While she was casting a line, because she didn't like using the spear as much, Quinn would be standing close to her with the spear in her hands.

Frankie would suddenly just jump into the water and start corralling what fish the pup could towards where Quinn was.

"Quinn," Rachel started.

"Yeah," Quinn answered.

"I think Frankie's trying to help you fish,"

"He is?"

(The girls had decided that Frankie was a boy, "Would explain his incessant whining when not fed," Quinn said with a laugh that day).

"Yeah," Rachel said, "He's corralling the fishes towards you, perhaps you should move a bit closer to the ledge, I'll tell you when to stop,"

Quinn started moving to the ledge, but before Rachel could say anything, Frankie barked loudly at her to make her stop.

"Huh, go back," Rachel said and Quinn did so, "Now move forward,"

Quinn did so again and when she got close to the edge, Frankie barked at her again.

"He's telling you where to stop, clever pup," Rachel commented and Quinn agreed.

Quinn then raised her spear and stabbed the water, but got nothing.

Annoyed she raised her arm again, Frankie corralled more fish close to her, then surfaced and slapped the water with his tail, almost as if signalling Quinn to spear the fish.

"Spear the fish Quinn," Rachel said, "I think Frankie's telling you when to do things,"

Quinn smiled at this, "Not bad for a pup that used to always steal my fish,"

"That was one time Quinn and we don't even know if it was him," Rachel laughed.

"It was him, I know it," Quinn said back.

* * *

After a few days, Quinn got the hang of fishing with Frankie, the little sea lion had grown a bit since the day he stole Quinn's fish; and would walk in front of Quinn, a rope harness was now around his body so he could lead Quinn where she needed to fish at the flat rocked area, helped her fish, and when it was time to call it quits, he would lead her back to the beach bivouac unless Quinn said "Find Rachel," to which the little sea lion would take her towards Rachel would most likely be.  
Rachel was back to finding fruit to eat and of course kindling and wood for the fires they needed, and on the odd occasion hunting rabbit.

It was an easy routine to remember.

Frankie was so much part of their lives now that the sea lion would follow them to their ledged cave and waterfall spot.

Wake up calls were the same at the waterfall spot, but at the ledged cave, all Frankie could do to wake them up was bark as loudly as possible so that his voice would echo off the walls.

"I swear to god I'm going to make a muzzle out of rope for that pup," Quinn grumbled one morning as Rachel groaned next to her and tried to bury her head under the blonde's arm, "Oh no you don't, if I'm up, you're up, we're going to the waterfall today,"

"Why?" Rachel mumbled.

"Because it's fun day today,"

"It's always fun day,"

"Fine, today is super fun day, c'mon, I wanna go jump off the waterfall like always, and go down the rock slide,"

"Good god, you love giving me a heart attack,"

(The first time the girls went back to the waterfall spot and Quinn was comfortable being on her own while climbing a waterfall - with Frankie as her personal edge alarm - she had gone to the top, called out to Rachel and did a backflip into the water, Rachel had screamed and when Quinn resurfaced, she got a fifteen minute speech of the dangers of jumping while blind, not that it actually stopped her from doing it again and again).

"Rachel, c'mon, stop being a baby," Quinn whined.

"Fine, fine, I'm up," Rachel grumbled.

Quinn grinned as she untangled herself from Rachel, grabbed a fish and threw it in Frankie's direction, she knew the pup had caught the fish because she heard happy grunts.

* * *

As they walked up towards the waterfall, Rachel watched as Quinn paused.

"What is it Quinn?" she asked.

"Shh, listen," she said.

Rachel went silent and even Frankie stayed quiet, and then she heard what Quinn heard, a propeller engine.

"It's a plane, oh god, Rachel, how will we signal it?" Quinn asked in worry.

"I'll do it," Rachel said as she picked up a flare gun.

_'Doing this for Quinn,'_ she thought to herself as she made her way up.

She ran up the hillside in record time.

See, one of the perks of being stuck so long on the island was that while the two were a lot slimmer than they used to be, and to most they would probably look too skinny and a bit unhealthy, the constant exercise meant that they were stronger and faster, their bodies had adapted to living on an island as they needed it to be; and they were fortunate enough to be on an island that had a good supply of food if and when they needed it.

The hill that used to take them over twenty minutes to climb was now a matter of minutes for Rachel.

When she got to the top, she saw the plane flying in the distance, but it was still close enough for her to shoot a flare.

It was the first one in ever, since Quinn and her had been stuck here, and she wondered why it was there in the first place.

She waited until she got a good line of sight and where she was sure the plane would spot the flare as she shot it into the air.

The plane kept flying giving no indication it saw her, so she shot another on and started waving her arms about.

The plane turned and flew over head of her before it flew away.

Unsure of whether she was spotted or not, Rachel climbed back down.

Quinn heard her return, "Any luck?" she asked.

"I don't know, for your sake I hope so, I shot two flares, and then they flew over top of me, so I'm sure they did, I'm just not sure how long until they rescue us or send for rescue," Rachel answered as she put the flare gun down, "We can just hope and pray I guess,"

"Yeah," Quinn said quietly, "C'mon, let's go, I'm sure Frankie would love chasing you through the water again and joining us down the rock slide,"

Rachel couldn't help but laugh at this moment.


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: **Thank you very much to everyone who has journeyed with me so far. There are still a few more chapters to go (not sure how many though).

And thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review. I really do appreciate it.  
For those who are just Guests to the site, since I can't PM you, I'll say THANK YOU for your reviews here.  
And to the Guest reviewer - Alese222 - in regards to Chapter 10 - Quinn's blindness was more because she was silly enough to not listen to Rachel and looked over the Ocean too much during the daytime than not enough nutrients.  
To the Guest/s who wrote that they love this story, thank you very much - I am glad you are enjoying it.

Thank you to Jemjo who gave me the phrase "Guide Sea Lion"

Finally I will say that **This chapter will be a tear jerker** - so be prepared to be a bit (or quite a bit to very) sad.  
Wrote it in bold so you can't miss the warning this time.

* * *

**Chapter 12:**

Monkeys, oh yes, this was how today was starting, with monkeys.

'Monkey Madness', Quinn had called it as she could hear Rachel screaming at the monkeys and Frankie chasing after them too. How she wished she could see this moment.

Either way though, it sounded hilarious and she was still laughing at the moment as her mind created the image of what was probably happening.

She had woken up that morning alone, Frankie didn't give his usual wake up calling of barking too loudly into her ear and Rachel was missing for some reason. As she stretched her arms she heard a shriek of, "GET BACK HERE YOU STUPID MONKEYS,"

It was Rachel.

Quinn got up, felt for the rope and walked in the direction of where she could hear the screaming.

She was half-way between the waterfall spot and the ledged cave when she heard Rachel the loudest.

"Gah, stupid monkeys, I want my clothes back, give it back," Rachel could be heard yelling.

"Rachel?" Quinn called out.

"Stay right there Quinn, I'll just be a moment,"

"What happened?"

"Well, um, you know how I got really warm last night and I took my dress off?"

"Yes,"

"The monkeys came and took them,"

Quinn blinked before bursting into laughter.

"God, you're no help," Rachel said.

Quinn could hear her jumping up and down and trying to find a way up the tree as Frankie kept barking at them, but she realised the small sea lion (though he had grown quite a bit and was probably at the early stages of a juvenile sea lion) didn't know what to do about the monkey's.

Eventually, fifteen hilarious minutes later of Rachel actually yelling profanities, she got her dress back by way of rocks hitting the monkey's head and arm.

The monkeys in general never came near them again or tried to take their things.

Rachel put her dress on as she walked up to a still laughing Quinn.

"Got your dress?" Quinn laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, shut up, you hungry?" Rachel asked.

Quinn didn't say anything.

"Quinn?" Rachel asked again.

Still she didn't answer.

"Quinn?" Rachel was getting frustrated, "Why aren't you talking?"

"You told me to shut up, so I am," Quinn answered with a not so innocent smile.

"Argh," Rachel growled as she walked past her.

Frankie could be heard waddling up to them as he slipped into the rope harness Quinn had in her hands.

"C'mon Frankie, let's go eat," Quinn laughed.

* * *

The three had trekked back up to the waterfall spot where Frankie decided to go fishing on his own as he dove in and out of the water and caught a few fish for himself.

He tried once to give what he caught to Quinn, but the blonde had declined making the pup whimper at that.

Feeling bad, Quinn got Rachel to start a fire and cooked what the sea lion got for her and Frankie was all of a sudden very happy.

_"He's like a child, the things I have to endure because of him," Quinn said._

_"But you love him," Rachel added._

_"Yeah, yeah,"_

Rachel and Quinn were eating the last of the deer jerky they got as they chatted.

"Quinn, can I ask you about something?" Rachel started.

"Yeah, you know we're honest with each other," Quinn said.

"I was wondering about Lucy Caboosey,"

"What about her?"

"How is your hair brunette when your parents hair colour is blonde?" Rachel asked.

"One, it could be genetics, I don't know why people didn't think that I may actually have relatives whose natural hair colour were or are brunette, two, my natural hair coloured is blonde, I just dyed my hair the day before it was picture day and I figured if people would look at my hair they'd forget about the rest of me," Quinn answered, "It didn't work, I was still called Lucy Caboosey,"

"Oh, I'm sorry,"

"Nothing you can do about it,"

"What about the glasses?"

"Corrective laser surgery,"

"Oh,"

"I hope they can fix my eyes when we get home,"

"I'm sure they will,"

Quinn just gave her a small smile.

"Does the Lucy side of you ever come out?"

"Yeah, I still read a lot, but I dropped that a bit when at school, image and all, Lucy was a loser and no one was her friend,"

"I would have been,"

Quinn took Rachel's hand and kissed it, "Yeah, I know,"

Rachel looked over at Frankie who was happily diving in and out of the water, playing while trying to catch a fish.

"You ever wonder if it was his mother who was killed by the Bull Shark instead of you?" Rachel asked.

"No, not until now, I mean it would make sense right, and since we feed him, he now sees us as his new Mommies, guess if that's true, his Mother saved my life by giving hers,"

"Hmmm, and now he's our loveable pet, Frankie the Guide Sea Lion,"

"Guide Sea Lion?"

"You know, like a Guide Dog, but a sea lion,"

Quinn just chuckled a bit.

"Oh, looks like Frankie has food for you," Rachel said as she watched Frankie waddle up to them proudly with a decent sized fish.

Quinn just groaned and buried her head in her hands.

* * *

Later on, when they had digested, the three started playing and swimming in the waterfall.

Quinn was now sliding down the rock slide, Frankie waddled in behind her and slid down too.

Rachel was confident enough to jump off the drop.

After sometime they decided to trek back down to the beach, Rachel was in child mode as she wanted to build a sandcastle.

When they arrived at the beach, Frankie disappeared into the ocean and was gone for a while.

"He still not back?" Quinn asked.

"Nope," Rachel said as she finished the tower of her sandcastle.

Quinn didn't say anything as she got up, carefully walked around to where she knew Rachel was, took the brunette's hand and dragged her to the beach bivouac.

Once there, she kissed her.

"I feel like a parent saying this, but he's away, we can have fun, we haven't done this in a while," she said.

"Quinn, we did this two days ago when he went hunting," Rachel smirked but slipped her dress off anyway.

"Don't care, want it now,"

"My god you're an addict,"

"Only addicted to you,"

Rachel laughed as Quinn kissed her again.

Afterwards, Quinn was holding Rachel close as she trailed her fingers along the brunette's arm and asked, "What are you going to do when you get back?"

Rachel just shrugged, in all honesty, she wasn't planning on going back, and the only reason she helped Quinn build a help signal or anything like that was because she knew the blonde wanted to leave. She knew how much it meant to her.

"I know what I'm going to do, hug my Mom and shower, then, I am going to go out and eat a lot of good food," Quinn continued.

"That sounds great Quinn," Rachel said to her.

"What about you?"

"I don't know, I'm anxious about going back, it's safe here, you know,"

"I know,"

"This has become home and I'm terrified about leaving it,"

Quinn just murmured behind her as she kissed Rachel's bare shoulders.

* * *

A few days had passed now since the plane had flown over them.

And Rachel and Quinn were doing their usual routine of hunting and gathering.

This time however, they were at the river, fishing. Or rather, Rachel was fishing and Quinn was making rope to replace some of the more weathered ones.

Their peace was interrupted by a helicopter whirring above them.

The sound made Quinn stand up, Rachel look up and Frankie to waddle closer to Rachel's legs.

"QUINN FABRAY?" a voice yelled out of a megaphone.

"Me, they're talking about me," Quinn said in an excited tone.

"It's a helicopter, looks like you're getting rescued," Rachel said as she led Quinn to the beach as the helicopter landed but kept the main rotor blades moving.

"RACHEL BERRY?" the voice yelled again.

"And you," Quinn said as they approached the helicopter with caution.

"Are you two Quinn Fabray and Rachel Berry?" the man yelled out of the helicopter.

"YES THAT'S US," Quinn yelled back as she waved her arms in what she assumed was the right direction.

Rachel and Quinn approached the helicopter. Frankie was waddling behind them.

"We were told that there were two women on this island, your family and friends had contacted us with potential names earlier on, the plane that flew over here the other day confirmed that you two looked like the missing persons pictures," the crew member said loudly, trying to speak over the blade noise.

"That's the two of us, we both fell off the ship," Quinn said back.

"Okay, are there any more on this island?"

"No, just us, as far as we know anyway,"

"Good, we're here to get you two home,"

"She's blind, so be careful with her," Rachel yelled back as she helped Quinn onto the helicopter and took a step back.

She couldn't leave, she was scared to, this island had become her home, her paradise and sanctuary, she didn't want to go back. She couldn't. Her body just wouldn't let her.

Quinn felt something was off as she turned and tried to reach out for her as the helicopter began picking up more momentum for take-off.

"Rachel?" Quinn said, looking perplexed at her, trying to gauge where she was.

"I'm not going back," Rachel said as she looked at Quinn.

"What? Why?"

"There's nothing for me to go back for, I don't have family there, I don't have friends,"

"What about me?"

"Quinn, you'll have a wonderful life filled with friends and family,"

"What about your dream?"

"It doesn't matter, I like it here, even if I am alone,"

"But Broadway,"

"Quinn, the likelihood of my success of getting onto Broadway, not high, there are a lot of talented people out there, ones who are more pretty and fit the mould people want, I can't,"

"Miss, please, get into the chopper," one of the crew yelled as he tried to reach her, but Rachel jumped back a bit more.

"I'm not going back," Rachel said.

"Rachel, no, get in here, we can bring Frankie along," Quinn started.

"I'm sorry Quinn," Rachel said as she took one last look at Quinn and bolted.

"She ran," the crew member yelled at the pilot sadly.

"Then we gotta go," the pilot said, "I'm taking her up,"

"NO," Quinn yelled as the crew member pulled her back, "NO, WE'RE NOT LEAVING HER, WE CAN'T,"

"I'm sorry, we have to go, we're wasting fuel," the crew man yelled as he slid the door shut with a slam and the pilot flew away.

"RACHEL!" Quinn screamed.

Frankie could be heard barking agonisingly. He didn't know what was going on. One two legged Mommy was being snatched away from him in a metal bird and the other had run away into the forest.

Since he had lost one Mommy before in the ocean, that was the same day he knew light haired Mommy was in the water, he decided he wanted to go after Quinn, she was the one being kidnapped after all and dark haired Mommy was safe on the island. He jumped into the water and started swimming after the helicopter.

But the helicopter was too fast and he started getting tired.

Letting out a small cry, the little sea lion swam back as quickly as he could towards the island, diving through the water and swimming in swirls, attempting to lose the Bull Shark that had honed in on his existence.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:**

Quinn cried as she curled up in a ball on her seat.

The crew man had popped a blanket around her that she shrugged off. She heard him sigh as he turned his attention back to the pilot.

The helicopter ride didn't last too long, or at least to Quinn it wasn't that long as she had fallen asleep.

She felt them land onto a large vessel where it refueled as Quinn was being looked over by the female medic on board.

"She's just a bit undernourished, that's it, seemingly sunburnt in places, but those have healed, I'm not sure about her eyes," the medic said.

"Her friend told us that she was blind," the crew man from the helicopter said.

The medic looked at him before asking Quinn, "Sweetie, were you always blind?"

Quinn shook her head.

"How did you become blind?" the medic asked.

"Staring into the ocean," Quinn said simply.

"Sweetie, can you tell us your name and where you're from?"

"It's Quinn and don't call me Sweetie, only Rachel gets to call me that, you're not Rachel, we have to go back for Rachel,"

"Swee…Quinn, we can't go back for her,"

"Yes you can, you're refuelling, don't think I didn't hear about that,"

"We have to get you back to Los Angeles so you can be looked after, your family has been notified and will meet you at L.A. General,"

"I don't care, I want Rachel, bring me back to her,"

The medic sighed as she spoke to the ship's captain next to her.

Eventually, Quinn was moved back to the helicopter where she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

When they landed again, they were at L.A. General where Quinn felt herself being laid down on a stretcher that carried her to the hospital.

Doctors there assessed her and asked her the same questions and she answered them quickly without saying too much.

She heard her Mom outside of her hospital room talking with the doctor.

"Apart from being a bit undernourished, Quinn has corneal burn on her eyes, this can be fixed by surgery," the doctor said as Judy looked into the hospital room.

Quinn looked miserable.

"How long will it take for her to heal?" Judy asked him.

"A week if we're lucky, possibly longer, but we do not know about the psychological damage if any, she seems fine, but we do not know what she was subjected to while there," the doctor replied.

"Will her eyesight return?"

"Yes, but no like it once was, she will have to wear glasses for the rest of her life,"

"Can I talk to my daughter please?"

"Yes, go right ahead,"

Judy walked into the hospital room, "Quinn, it's me,"

Quinn just looked over in her direction.

"They can fix your eyes with surgery, but you will take a while to recover fully, you'll have to wear glasses again," Judy said.

Quinn just lay down and turned her body away from her mother.

"Oh Quinn, I missed you, we tried looking for you every day," Judy said.

"I want Rachel," Quinn whispered as Judy just looked at her.

"Sweetie,"

"Don't call me that, only Rachel can call me Sweetie,"

"Quinn?"

"Are we going back for Rachel?"

"Sweetie,"

"Don't call me Sweetie,"

"Quinn, they aren't going back for Rachel,"

"Why? She needs to be rescued, we have to get her back,"

"Quinn, they can't just take a helicopter and go get someone who doesn't want to be saved,"

"She does want to be saved, I know it, I can feel it, let me go back, I can get her to come back,"

"I'm sorry Quinn,"

"I want Rachel,"

Judy couldn't say anymore as Quinn just clammed up after that.

* * *

Later that day, Quinn underwent surgery to fix her eyesight, she'd have to wear glasses for the rest of her life, but she didn't care, she was able to see again.

And while her eyes were recovering, she wasn't allowed to do too many activities.

Boredom kicked in again and she felt pain run through her as she remembered what she would have been doing today had she not been rescued.

Was it even called a rescue?

If you think about it, she didn't care about going home anymore, she was happy on the island, it had become her home, she loved it there. She didn't feel like she was in despair, sure the first few days she wished she was rescued because she was in distress, but slowly over time, she just didn't feel the need as much. Was it really a rescue if you didn't want to be saved in the first place?

Anyway, she knew what she'd be doing today if she had still been on the island, she'd be fishing with Frankie.

Frankie, she wondered what the sea lion would do now, probably stay with Rachel, but she wasn't sure.

She sighed.

The doctor eventually had her moved her back to Lima, where she stayed at the hospital there for about three days before being allowed to go home.

When home she got a surprise party welcoming her back.

Coach Sue was there, so were the Cheerios and the New Directions.

She smiled a little and interacted with people because she felt she had to.

"Hey Q, welcome back," Santana said as she hugged Quinn and Quinn hugged back.

"Hi S," Quinn said as she looked at everyone.

"You look like a square,"

"I was blind, they fixed my eyes, but I'll have to wear glasses for the rest of my life,"

"Get contacts,"

"Eventually,"

"Well done on surviving for a month and a half Q, always knew you had it in you," Coach Sue said to her.

"It wasn't me, it was Rachel, I was panicking for the first few days and she helped me, she taught me how to survive," Quinn said.

"Really? Didn't know Streisand had it in her,"

"Don't call her that,"

"So, was it like Lord of the Flies out there with Berry?" Santana asked, "Where is she anyway?"

"I, she, she didn't come back," Quinn said.

"What?"

"She bolted from the Chopper as it was about to take off,"

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Brittany asked looking at them, "It's because she felt there was no reason for her to come back, there's no one here she feels cares for her, why come back to a place where you don't matter?"

Quinn gapped for a bit, Santana rested in thought as did everyone else over what Brittany had said.

"She really thinks that she doesn't matter?" Quinn stated rather than asked as she sat down on a chair with a realisation washing over her. How could she not see it? Her own…girlfriend? Yes, Rachel was her girlfriend, not that she'd tell everyone yet, but still.

How could she not see it? Rachel was worried about coming back because coming back could have meant going back to what was, she didn't know if Quinn would have stayed with her and cared, she wouldn't know if her Dads were okay to cut back on work.

Quinn felt like a fool as her eyes watered a bit.

"Well does she? I mean, who does she have at home? No one, who else can she go to? No one, does she have any friends or people she can rely on? Nope, did anyone else care that she fell off the ship? Nope," Brittany continued.

"B, you don't know that," Quinn said.

"Q, I know, okay, when you fell off, people knew you fell off, we had at least twenty people phone about finding you, and this is after the rogue wave hit us and everyone was more or less accounted for, everyone went looking for you, no one, not one person looked for or called about Rachel, not even me, or Finn, no one, don't you see Quinn, Rachel doesn't have anybody,"

"Actually, I did," Finn said, "But I didn't do it until after we came back because I thought she was just hiding on the ship,"

"Oh, well, then I guess aside from you, she doesn't have anyone,"

"Yes she does, she has me," Quinn said.

"You?" Santana asked.

"Yes, me, she just stayed behind, she should have come back,"

"What are you talking about Q?"

"I'm going to get her back,"

"Why?"

"Because…uh, well, she's become like my best friend, okay,"

Everyone gapped at her, but Quinn didn't care as she continued, "And now she's out there all alone, if no one here is willing to help me get her back, then please back off,"

"Actually the truth is, is that her parents said to look out for her should she be missing with you too, but they said that they reckon she's probably just running around as when they're home they never see her there," Finn said.

"They really have no idea, do they?" Quinn muttered to herself.

* * *

As the days went by, about two weeks since her rescue, Quinn had finally found time to escape having people around her and she knew where she wanted to go next. Rachel's home.

As she arrived there she noticed that two cars were in the garage, which meant the Berry men would be home.

She walked up to the door and knocked on it with purpose.

A tall man opened the door, his husband just behind him.

"Mr and Mr Berry, I'm Quinn Fabray," Quinn said as she looked at them.

"Hello," Hiram said.

"I'm here to talk to you about Rachel,"

"Do you happen to know where Rachel is?"

"Yes, that's what I want to talk to you about, may I come in?"

"Yes, yes come in,"

Quinn stepped into the home.

"Would you like anything to drink?" LeRoy asked.

"Water please," Quinn answered.

As everyone settled back into the lounge, LeRoy broke the silence.

"Did Rachel fall off the ship with you?" he asked.

"Yes, she did, we were both stuck on that deserted island together," Quinn answered.

"So she did fall off, I had hoped that maybe she hadn't and was just running around town, doing whatever it is she does now,"

"She fell off with me,"

"How did the rescue crew know it was her with you?"

"They said they had a photo, I guess if it wasn't you guys, it must have been Finn,"

"It probably was him, we didn't believe people when they told us that she was missing and had fallen off a ship,"

"You should have,"

"We see that, we just, we had hoped that it was a lie, but we knew to try anyway, we told them that if they found Rachel with you, that it would be great if they brought her home,"

The three were quiet for a moment.

"Did she come back with you? Is she hiding with you?" LeRoy asked as Hiram looked hopeful.

"She didn't come back," Quinn said sadly.

"We had hoped that maybe she was just avoiding us, we aren't around as much as we used to be, but we had hoped she'd be here in town,"

"She, look, she'll hate me for telling you this, but someone has to, you've been neglecting her and she feels that you don't love her anymore,"

"What?"

"You have been forgetting her, when the two of us were on that island, we talked, a lot, I mean there's not much else to do, and she feels that you guys just don't love her anymore, you're away too much,"

"But we do love her," Hiram said.

"Do you? You are always away, business trips, holidays, missing things like Regionals and Sectionals, even Nationals, those meant a lot to her and you weren't there, look, all I know is that Rachel barely see's you anymore and she hides it very well when she's hurting, I mean it's great that you give her money, but she doesn't need that, she needs her fathers,"

"We really have been that negligent?" LeRoy asked as he sat down, but he knew, he knew that he had been neglecting her, it was as obvious as a punch to the face. What Father tried to make himself believe that his own child was just avoiding him and hiding after hearing that a ship she was on was hit by a rogue wave? None that he could think of.

"Yes, Rachel never told you, I have a feeling she didn't want to intrude anymore," Quinn said.

"Oh my god,"

"I guess we have been working more than we expected, but I mean, we needed the job and over time, I guess we just didn't notice how long it was and how often it was that we were away," Hiram said.

"Darling, you realise how that sounds right?" LeRoy said to him.

"Oh god,"

"We have to find her, do the pilots remember where she is?" LeRoy asked Quinn.

"They should do, but we may have a problem once there," Quinn said.

"Why?"

"Rachel ran the last time, and I don't think the pilots realised she was going to run,"

"Are the beaches safe?"

"No, there are jagged rocks and treacherous areas, I'm surprised we even survived the journey in, but there is a way to get in, the river should be okay for small boats to go in, but we have to navigate carefully,"

"We could just take a ship as close as we can and fly a 'copter in and land away from the water,"

"It'll be expensive,"

"It doesn't matter, our daughter is out there all alone and she shouldn't have to be,"

Just then the newscast that the Berry's had left on played in the background, they weren't going to pay attention to it, but Quinn had looked over at it.

"A tropical storm has hit off the coast of California and has been travelling west towards Asia affecting the islands in its' path, this freak of nature has caused severe destruction wherever it hit," the newscaster said as Quinn felt her breath quicken. Rachel was still on that island, alone.

"Oh no, no, no," Quinn started.

"What is it Quinn?" LeRoy asked.

"See that area, once my sight came back the people who rescued me came to see me so I could say thank you, they showed me on a map where the island was about, that area that was just hit by that storm, Rachel is there, that's where the island is located,"

"We have to call the rescue team,"

"You have to really convince them that you can get her back, I tried, but they ignored me citing that they had other people who need rescuing too and who wanted to be rescued,"

"Okay, we'll try, worse comes to worse we will donate money to them for their efforts,"

"I want to come, I know the island, I know where to go, please,"

"Okay, we will need you,"

Hiram went off to call the rescue team, when he came back he had grim look on his face.

"What is it?" LeRoy asked.

"Because of the weather they won't be able to go for another three days," he said to them.

Quinn paled, Rachel was going to left alone on that island, in the destruction of the storm for three days.

_'This sucks,'_ Quinn thought to herself.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN:** To the Guest who reviewed the story - I'm sorry that you found the last two chapters disappointing and I hope you will find this chapter better.  
Yes Rachel's Dads are worthy of a Social Service visit but bear in mind that there are parents out there who do exactly what they have done, work becomes a priority and when your child reaches fifteen-sixteen, like Rachel in the story, some parents deem them grown up enough to be left to their own vices if necessary. (Believe me, I know - when I turned sixteen my parents deemed me more responsible to be on my own if necessary - luckily for me it meant more working around the motel than what happens to Rachel. But l've seen it happen to my friends too - though not to the extreme I portrayed here in the story, thank God).  
With regards to New Directions, they probably felt something but like most people didn't quite know fully what to do (with the exception of Finn because he gave the rescuers Rachel's picture the same time they got Quinn's). And since focus and point of view is mainly with Quinn and/or Rachel, I don't really delve into what they're thinking or feeling as much.

**AN 2: **As always, thank you everyone for your feedback and reviews, and also to those who do not, thank you continuing to read the story. I hope you are enjoying it - not long to go before this story is over.  
Enjoy Chapter 14.

* * *

**Chapter 14:**

Quinn was avoiding her Mom, oh yes, she was avoiding her Mom big time.

Why? Well, because school had started and since she was recovering from surgery and coming back from the island, she had already missed most of the first week.

Sure, she told everyone that she'd have no problem catching up, and she wouldn't, but no one believed her.

So right now, she was avoiding her Mom, and everyone else, as she tried to discreetly pack to go back to the island; she knew her Mom would not be happy with her right now if she knew what she was doing.

It had been three days since the storm had passed and the Berry's got the all clear that they could go.

She was glad that they were finally getting their butt's in gear about their own daughter. She was still mad at them though, and she knew they knew that.

But she saw that for the past few days they had been talking to each other about work. She wasn't sure about what outcome would be, but at least they were talking.

She shook her head in annoyance as she finished packing before she tried to sneak out of the house.

However, Judy caught her.

"Quinn," Judy started.

_'Crap,'_ Quinn thought to herself.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing,"

"It doesn't look like nothing,"

"Fine, I'm going to Santana's to study,"

Judy raised the infamous Fabray brow.

"I am," Quinn insisted.

"Quinn, ever since you came back you've been distant, you are always outside, you barely sleep on your own bed, you're always on the floor, and you don't talk to me, what is going on Quinn?" Judy asked.

"Nothing,"

"Quinn, please,"

"I, the Berry's got the okay to go find Rachel, I'm going with them,"

"No, you're not,"

"Yes I am,"

"No you're not, you're not going back to that island just so you can try and get some girl off it,"

"Some girl? Some girl? Really? Rachel is the reason I'm alive Mom,"

"She didn't want to be rescued,"

"She does, she's just scared of what's going to happen when she got back, that's why she ran,"

"Quinn,"

"I'm going with the Berry's Mom, I know the island, I can help them, if you were in their position and Rachel were the one helping you, wouldn't you want that?"

"I, Quinn,"

"I love her Mom, I really do, and I can't keep living like this, if I don't know I tried to go back and help her,"

Judy stared at her, "Quinn, what are you saying?"

Quinn's heart pumped faster as she realised what she had just said.

"I, I'm in love with Rachel, no, I love Rachel, I'm not just in love with her, I also love her," Quinn said.

"Quinn?" Judy started in disbelief.

"This is not how I wanted you to find out,"

"Are you gay?"

"I don't know, before Rachel I never thought about it, honestly I never did, but I got to know her and we just, I don't know, we just worked, and I,"

"What if this is just because you two were stuck on an island together and potentially had no other choice?"

"That is a possibility, but I don't think it is so in this case,"

"Quinn,"

"Mom, please, I need to go find her, please," Quinn said as Judy looked at her with an inquiring eye until she realised what she was looking at.

"Okay, you can go with them," Judy said, "Just be safe, okay, and we'll talk when you get back,"

"You're not going to kick me out or anything?"

"No, but we'll talk, okay, perhaps these next few days will give me a chance to think, I wish I could come with you, but I didn't know you were going,"

"It's okay Mom, I know you care,"

"I do, oh, call me okay, every day, morning and evening,"

"I will, thank you Mom,"

"No problem Quinn,"

Quinn hugged Judy and breathed a sigh of relief when she realised Judy was still hugging her the same way she always did, maybe just a bit tighter this time.

* * *

"I'm coming with you Q," Santana said as she stood by Quinn at the Berry's door, bag also in hand.

"How'd you even know I was going?" Quinn asked in amusement.

"Bitch please, I knows everything that goes on,"

Quinn looked at her.

"Fine, Brittany heard you muttering to yourself about planning an escape route to go rescue Berry and told me that I should join you so you can have sweet lady kisses with Berry again and be happy, so here I am," Santana confessed saying everything in one breath.

"How come she didn't join? Sounds like something she'd want to come along to," Quinn asked completely ignoring the sweet lady kisses part of that confession.

"She teaches dance after school now and her motocross training is becoming more intense that she can't get out of it, she wanted to,"

"I see, and how'd you know it was today that I was going?"

"I've been tailing you for the last three days to see when you were disappearing to the Berry's,"

"Yeesh, you're whipped and a stalker, go you,"

"Shut up,"

* * *

The trip was longer than she remembered it. Mind you she was asleep for most of it last time.

Santana was busy listening to her iPod and the Berry's were sleeping.

Quinn looked out over the ocean but didn't stay looking for long, she remembered her lesson from her time on the island.

Her thoughts drifted to Rachel and Frankie.

They were in all sense a family on that island and she was mad at herself that in her hurry to get back home, she didn't remember that.

She should have fought harder, she should have stayed. She should have convinced them to come back, or something.

But life isn't worth living if all it is is about if's and maybe's. She couldn't go back and change the past, she knew that. So she looked forward to seeing what she could do for the future.

She sighed as Santana looked at her and took off her headphones.

"Q," she started.

"Yeah?" Quinn answered.

"You okay?"

"No,"

"Wow, you were actually honest,"

"Ever since being around Rachel, I've started to be more honest about things, saves the bull crap, you know,"

"Yeah, so, talk to me Q, and if it's about the Berry men, they won't hear you,"

"They already know how I feel about them,"

"You look pissed,"

"I am,"

"Why? I mean I have a hunch why, but talk to me Q, you know I don't do mushy stuff so take this opportunity and talk to me,"

"They left her S, they left her all alone, she may be sixteen now but that doesn't mean that they should have left, and I just, how could they not realise their own daughter was missing or has been gone for a long time?"

"Screw it if I know Q, parents are weird, besides denial of responsibility especially when you know you screwed up big time does happen to parents, they are human,"

"Don't I know it,"

"Look Q, I don't know what they were thinking, hell I haven't been in Berry's life much and when I am it's not usually nice, but I do know that at least they're trying, I mean they did get the rescue going,"

"After I gave them a talking to,"

"You woke them up to the fact that they're negligent asses and that's a good thing,"

"Why does it sound like you're defending them?"

"I'm not, I'm just saying, now, talk to me about Berry,"

"What's there to talk about? She's all alone thinking no one cares and loves her and she doesn't have to be thinking that,"

"But obviously, you love her,"

Quinn looked at her friend in surprise.

"Oh don't be so surprised I figured that out, I'm second from the top for a reason, well top now since you don't do cheerleading anymore," Santana said.

"True," Quinn said.

"Besides you have been arguing and complaining about getting her back ever since you got back, at least that's that Judy told me when I came over the other day, it's not hard to put the two and two together,"

"It's because I care about her,"

"I know,"

Eventually the helicopter reached the island and landed on a safe spot.

Quinn hopped off the chopper, Santana was right behind her as she looked around. The Berry men soon followed suit.

The island was devastated, there were fallen trees everywhere, and the beach bivouac was destroyed. She felt her heart sink as she ran over and pulled the debris apart, but to her relief and dismay, Rachel wasn't there.

"We'll find her Q," Santana said as she patted her friend's back.

Quinn thought perhaps she should call for Frankie first. The sea lion pup always knew where Rachel was and he'd always lead her to her.

"FRANKIE, FRANKIE COME HERE," Quinn yelled over the beach.

She waited. But Frankie didn't show.

"Quinn, who's Frankie?" Santana asked.

"My Guide Sea Lion,"

"I'm not going to ask,"

"FRANKIE, WHERE ARE YOU?"

Still the sea lion pup didn't show up. There was no indication that he was around, not even a bark.

Quinn felt her shoulders drop in despair.

"I have to go to the ledged cave and the waterfall spot," Quinn said to everyone.

"We'll follow you," Hiram said.

"If you can keep up,"

* * *

Quinn trekked through the usual spots as quickly as she could; Santana was surprised at how agile she was now. Though it explained a lot of why Quinn could now move better than she had before, not to mention that she had lived here for a month and a half.

The Berry men were behind her, panting, but still calling out for Rachel.

Quinn wondered if them being here was a hindrance, especially if Rachel wanted to avoid them.

When at the ledged cave, she climbed in and looked inside, the gear was still there, but Rachel was not.

So Quinn climbed out and trekked even faster up to the waterfall spot.

When there, she noticed that it was more or less intact, a couple of trees had fallen and there were branches here and there, but the shelter was still standing.

"Wow, this place is amazing," Santana said, "You two really survived here like this?"

"Yeah," Quinn said as she walked over to the bivouac, "Damn it, she's not here,"

"She'll be here somewhere, let's go,"

_ 'I hope she's okay,'_ Quinn thought to herself, a part of her was worried, the other part hopeful that maybe all that Rachel was doing was out fishing or scrounging for fruit.

"RACHEL," Quinn yelled out, waiting for the brunette to reply. But she heard nothing.

"YO BERRY, WHERE ARE YOU?" Santana called out too.

"RACHEL," Hiram and LeRoy called out.

The helicopter crewmen had also come along and were calling out for the brunette, but no answer.

Quinn kept moving and looking around at the different spots Rachel could have been at, the team were searching not too far from her.

"RACHEL?" Quinn called out.

"RACHEL BERRY," Santana yelled out after her.

"How many Rachel's do you think are on this Island?"

"Shut up, you want my help or not?"

"Sorry, RACHEL?"

"YO BERRY,"

It was after some time when everyone stopped by the river to take a small break. They had searched for a while now and still no sign of Rachel.

Quinn felt despair tear through her as she sat down by the river edge and drank the water, keeping an eye out for a potential bull shark.

She looked around and realised where they were, this was the spot where Rachel and her decided to work together, her first encounter with the Bull Shark.

This was also the spot where Rachel would frequent to get water and fruit.

Quinn got up and turned her head and saw something a little further down the river away from everyone.

There was almost a dam there, trees had clumped together and debris was everywhere, and in that debris, was an arm.

Her eyes widened as she panicked and ran.

"Oh my God, RACHEL," she screamed as she ran, "EVERYONE OVER HERE, HELP ME,"

People rushed over and the crew slowly assessed the situation in which best to pull the trapped girl out.

After some time they eventually got the brunette out and placed her on a gurney. She was unconscious.

Quinn cried in relief as did the Berry men.

She looked around and called out for Frankie, but the sea lion pup didn't show up.

_'Maybe he's out hunting,'_ she thought to herself but she felt in her heart that that probably wasn't true.

* * *

As they approached the helicopter carefully, Quinn looked back at the island once more as she sighed.

Once everyone was in the chopper safe and Rachel was completely strapped down so that the gurney wouldn't move, Quinn was sat right next to her.

"Quinn?" Rachel said weakly and almost in disbelief as she had gained a bit of conciousness and placed her fingers on the blonde's hand making her look at her.

"Hey, you're okay, I'm right here," Quinn said as she took Rachel's fingers and kissed them.

"You came back for me?"

"Of course, I couldn't leave you there, I love you,"

"You do?"

"Of course I do, I had to come back for you,"

"Frankie, Frankie's gone,"

"What happened to Frankie?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen him since the day you left, I think he went into the water after you to try and follow you, but I'm not sure,"

"Oh no,"

"He'll be okay right?"

"I don't know, there are sharks everywhere there Rachel,"

"I know,"

"He has to be okay,"

"I hope so too,"

And with that Rachel fell asleep again as Quinn kept a hold on her hand and kissed her fingers.

* * *

**AN 3:** Well, there you go. Chapter 15 will probably be up in about 15-16 hours (yes I semi-calculated).  
Next chapter, well, you'll see what we deal with in the next Chapter.


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: **Hey all, I do apologise to those who read when I updated etc. and thought that it was perhaps over 20 hours ago. In fact it was not.  
I put up Chapter 14 at 11:38AM my time, which was just under 15 hours ago. (Yes, it's currently past 1:00AM).  
has been odd recently where at times they'll say I've put up a new chapter, but won't post the proper time I put it up.  
Or they won't show the story that I've just recently updated on the Just In page. Odd thing.

Anyway, that's enough moaning from me.  
Here's Chapter 15 (Just under 15 hours later - I was earlier than I promised, Lol). Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 15:**

When they arrived at L.A. General, Quinn thanked the helicopter pilot who was willing to fly back, and the crewmen who helped with the rescue.

"You have no idea what this means to me," she said to them, "Thank you,"

"We are glad to help you," the pilot said, "And we're glad that you found your friend,"

Quinn just nodded her head, though she found it interesting that now that Rachel was back and deemed "rescued" that the crew seemed happy to help. But she'd take it.

She waited anxiously in the Waiting Room at the hospital with Santana and the Berry's as Rachel was being checked over. She was nervous. She hoped nothing was damaged, she hoped Rachel was okay. The girl looked smaller than she remembered, but maybe that was because she hadn't seen her in a while and wasn't used to her.

But that didn't matter.

During the waiting time, she made sure to call Judy and tell her that she was back in the country again, before going back to the waiting game.

Eventually the doctor emerged, "Mr and Mr Berry?" he said.

"That's us," Hiram said.

"Your daughter is undernourished, but that is to be expected from living on a deserted island, she has a fracture on her left arm which we've set a cast on and bruised ribs, and a concussion so we'll keep her on supervision over-night, amazingly though, she's more or less okay, bar any psychological side effects,"

"That's good, may we see her?"

"She doesn't want to see anyone but a Quinn Fabray? First,"

LeRoy looked disappointed but understood as did Hiram, as he ushered Quinn in to see Rachel.

Quinn just gave them a look before entering the room.

Rachel was sitting up on the hospital bed, but was staring at the white sheets as she was mindlessly drawing patterns and picking at them. She seemed lost.

Quinn smiled as she walked in, "Hey," she said.

"Hey," Rachel said back.

"You're lucky, bruised ribs and a fractured left arm and a concussion, could have been worse,"

"Yeah, how about you?"

"Undernourished like you, but I needed to have surgery for my eyes,"

"So you can see again, I wasn't just dreaming that,"

"How do you think I walked in to see you?"

"Oh, right, so, how many fingers am I holding up?" Rachel asked as she put up her hands but started rapidly moving her fingers up and down to display different numbers, à la Dr Jack Hodgins from Bones when he teased Booth.

"Ass," Quinn laughed, "You so plagiarised that from Bones,"

"I couldn't help it, it had to be done,"

The two were quiet for a moment as they looked away from one another. Quinn looked back and gripped Rachel's fingers.

"I'm sorry I left you behind, but the Chopper Pilot had to leave or we'd never make it back, I wanted to come back and get you," Quinn said as she looked at Rachel, who slowly looked back at her with a small smile.

"Thanks for coming back, I probably would have died if it wasn't for you," Rachel said as Quinn smiled, leaned in and kissed her lips.

"I'm sorry it took so long to get back,"

"It's okay,"

"But,"

"Quinn don't start, you came back and that's what counts,"

Quinn smiled before looking at Rachel and saying, "Um, so, your Dads want to see you,"

"I don't want to see them," Rachel said crossing her arms as Quinn hopped up onto the bed next to her.

"But you need to, I uh, you're going to be mad at me about this,"

"About what?"

"The reason as to how I got the rescue team to come back for you was because I gave your Dads a talking to and told them they were negligent idiots, I said it in a nicer way, I wanted to be crude, but that'd be counter-productive, anyway, "adults" only ever listen to each other and I figured that..."

"You told my Dads?" Rachel said annoyed and angrily.

"I had to Rachel, I didn't know when and how I'd be able to bring you back and I couldn't leave you there all alone, I just,"

"You had no right,"

"They had to know Rachel,"

"You shouldn't have told them,"

"Would you have told them had we come back at the same time?"

Quinn just looked at her as Rachel finally burst into tears.

"What if they don't love me Quinn?" Rachel asked in tears as Quinn pulled her into a hug.

"They do, okay, they do," Quinn said surely.

"It doesn't seem like it,"

"I know and I'm sorry,"

"What if they get taken away?"

"They won't, okay, they're working stuff out, I'm pissed off at them too, but they really are glad you're back,"

"I don't want to see them, not yet, they can wait,"

"Okay, I'll tell them that, but you'll have to talk to them sooner or later and sooner is a smarter idea,"

"I don't want to,"

Quinn just sighed.

"By the way, did I hear Santana's voice?" Rachel asked changing the subject.

"Yeah she's here, she helped look for you," Quinn answered.

"Why? She doesn't even like me,"

"Remember how I told you that Brittany has a powerful pout?"

"Yeah,"

"That happened,"

"I see," Rachel said but she couldn't help but giggle at that, "How was she allowed to just go?"

"I don't know, her parents probably don't care, I mean they're busy all the time too,"

"Oh,"

The two fell into another silence.

"You wanna go and sleep?" Quinn asked.

"I have a concussion, so I can't sleep yet," Rachel answered.

"You up for Chess? Because twenty dollars says I can still kick your ass,"

"Bring it,"

* * *

A few days later Rachel was deemed fit for travel; there was not much else that could be done for her recovery.

Travelling back to Lima, Quinn could see that Rachel was anxious so she held onto the brunette's hand the entire way there.

Her Dads were sitting a seat behind them.

Santana was asleep in front of them.

Before they had left the hospital, Rachel had finally talked to her Dads, what was said, Quinn didn't know because she felt Rachel needed time alone with her Dads to talk.

When they had finished talking, Rachel told Quinn that she gave her fathers a chance to prove that they cared, that they had to earn her trust back.

One chance.

Quinn stated that they were lucky she was gracious, to which Rachel just shrugged her shoulders.

One chance and that was it because she was tired of being forgotten.

When they got back to her house, Rachel jumped fifteen feet into the air…okay, so that's an exaggeration, but she felt like it was fifteen feet into the air, in fright because she was given a surprise welcome home potluck by the New Directions courtesy of Finn and Brittany.

But like Quinn was, Rachel just smiled for the sake of smiling before retiring for the night.

"I thought they didn't like me or care," Rachel whispered to Quinn that night after everyone had left. (Judy gave her permission for Quinn to stay the night).

"Maybe they felt guilty about treating you the way they did and they want to make it up to you," Quinn suggested as she snuggled up to Rachel.

"Do they have a right to?"

"I don't know, do you think they do?"

Rachel just huffed a bit as she shrugged her shoulders and then grasped onto Quinn's top.

"I miss the island," Rachel said, "I miss how free it was,"

"I miss my alarm clock," Quinn laughed.

"At least you got barking, I got a fishy kiss,"

"I know, I find that funny,"

"It wasn't funny,"

"Hmm, did you know I still can't sleep on a bed,"

"It feels weird right?"

"Yeah,"

"What are we going to do tomorrow?"

"Well, weekend, we can sleep or we can shop,"

"I wanna go hiking, are you up for hiking?"

"Sounds good to me, you reckon Lima has any waterfalls?"

"Probably not as cool as the one on the island,"

"Yeah,"

"Quinn,"

"Yes,"

"I miss Frankie,"

"Me too, even if he liked to steal my food, don't think I couldn't hear you giggling when I came back from spear fishing with him and he probably stole a fish for himself,"

"It was funny,"

"Yeah, yeah,"

"Do you think he's okay?"

"I don't know, I hope so,"

"It's just, he never came back Quinn,"

Quinn had a grim look cross her face.

* * *

The weekend went by faster than the two girls would have liked, Rachel's Dads took her, Quinn and Judy to one of the State Parks that had waterfalls in them.

Judy had a chance to get to know the Berry men and vice versa. They talked about making mistakes, they talked about fixing it.

Judy had told them that it would take time and effort to gain Rachel's trust, she said to them, "Don't worry about whether she loves you or not, because you know that she does, but trust and respect, that has to be earned back, you have to prove that things will change,"

"We're willing to do whatever it takes to make sure we don't make this mistake again," Hiram said as LeRoy nodded.

"Then give her time to adjust and let things go at her pace, trust me I know, I had the same issue with Quinn when she came back to live with me after the birth of Beth, I know how hard it is, and she will test your limits, she will fight back, but remember that she is just testing the boundaries, she's making sure that it's something that will stick, it's not always a conscious reaction,"

The two men nodded as they watched Quinn and Rachel race up the hill to the top of the waterfall, Quinn did a backflip into the water as Rachel jumped in too.

The three parents all jumped and yelped with worry as the two girls' resurfaced laughing and kissed each other.

"That was fun," Rachel said.

"Not as big or as great as the island, but still fun," Quinn said as she got out of the water.

As the two girls ran off again and ignored their parents protest about jumping from such a height, which Rachel shot back that the waterfall at the island was larger and they knew what they were doing, the parents settled down and talked more.

"Have you had a chance to talk to Quinn? I know she mentioned something about having to talk to you about her sexuality and dating Rachel," Hiram asked.

"Yeah, I'm still reading things for it, you know, it's hard when you grow up in such a conservative faith for so long," Judy said, "I've joined PFLAG too, just to get a better understanding, I'm trying and it's hard for me to break habit sometimes, but at the end of the day, I love my daughter, I lost her once due to ignorance, the second time was too much, I can't lose her again, so I will try,"

The two men nodded their heads.

"I tried talking to her about safe sex as well, because you know that no matter what we say, those two are going to engage in it, that proved hilarious, her face when I mentioned the words sex and dental dam was very funny, I didn't know Quinn could turn that shade of red," Judy said with a laugh.

"Rachel has no problem talking about such things," LeRoy said laughing a bit too, "At least, that's what I've noticed,"

Judy just laughed.

* * *

With the weekend over, Rachel was given a choice as to whether or not she wanted to go to school that week.

"I have to go, I've already missed so much and this is senior year," Rachel said.

"Sweetie you don't have to, you can rest," LeRoy said.

"I know, but I want to,"

"Okay, but if anything happens or you need to come home, call me, okay,"

"Okay,"

"Your Daddy and I will be at work until four, we will see you at home about four thirty, would you like to do something?"

"Maybe just a movie,"

"Okay,"

Rachel nodded her head as she exited the house and jumped into Quinn's car.

At school things were interesting, everyone was looking at her and Quinn, not that either girl cared that much.

Jacob Ben Israel tried to get an interview with the "Stranded Girls" but Santana scared him away.

The jocks tried to slushy her to remind her of the hierarchy, but couldn't get within reach before Puck punched them in the face.

Not being used to people actually coming to her aid with no hidden agenda, Rachel gripped onto Quinn's fingers as the blonde squeezed her hand back to comfort her.

Finn saw them walking down the hallway and wanted to go give Rachel a hug to say hello, unfortunately for him, she didn't see him.

Just as Finn put his hand on Rachel's shoulder, shocking her, Rachel jumped and punched him in the gut.

"Oh, god, Rach, that hurt," he said as Rachel and a dozen other people gapped.

"I," Rachel started.

"Finnocence, leave her alone," Quinn said as she put her arms around the brunette's waist.

"Finn, I'm so sorry," Rachel stuttered.

"No, that's okay, I just wanted to hug you hello, I'll make sure, ouch," Finn started before standing up again, "I'll remember not to startle you like that again…Quinn has her arm around your waist,"

Rachel looked down and noticed that as she blushed.

Quinn just glared at him, not that he seemed to care.

"I will just say one thing," Finn said, as Quinn tensed, ready for anything ranging from 'she is bad for you Rachel' or 'she's setting you up to be hurt' to 'but we work better together Rachel'.

Finn crossed his arms and smirked at them before saying, "About, God Damn, Time, Jeez,"

Okay, she was not expecting that.

She felt her jaw drop in surprise, as did Rachel and everyone else, sans Brittany.


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: **Hey all, here's the next chapter, it's a bit shorter than the usual, but not by much...I think, enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 16:**

"Finn just said what now?" Quinn stammered as everyone looked at him.

He just looked at everyone back and shrugged, "Come on, it's not like it's not noticeable, can people seriously say to me that they didn't notice?" he said.

"I noticed," Brittany said.

"Yeah, but you don't count, you're a genius when it comes to reading people,"

"Oh, thanks, wait, you called me a genius,"

"You are a genius, you're like that Einstein guy but with people,"

"Cool, thanks,"

"Hey Frankenteen, I noticed too," Santana said.

"Is this before or after Brittany told you?" Finn asked.

Santana didn't quite have a comeback for that. She folded her arms.

"I told her about it and she eventually realised how Quinn and Rachel were acting," Brittany said with a smile.

"Hey it's pretty easy to notice how much those two always seem to be eye fu…hmph," Santana started but got her mouth covered by Brittany's hand, "Biddy, watcha doin?"

"I'm censoring you," Brittany said with a cheeky smile before saying, "Did you know Finn's been plotting to get the two of you together but he sucked really bad at it?"

"What?" Quinn said in an annoyed tone.

"He wrote it down on a piece of paper that he dropped,"

Finn looked sheepishly away.

"Was that why you said we couldn't get back together?" Rachel asked out of pure curiosity.

"Yeah, I had it planned out, I was going to stick you two in the locker room, but I can't remember how I was going to get you in there," Finn answered.

"I, I, I'm confused,"

"You two like each other, what's so confusing about that?"

"I don't get it, I thought you loved us," Quinn said as Rachel looked at him.

"I do it's just, I noticed that everything you two ever did or talk about, like, it always involved each other one way or another, and no matter what I did, I just didn't seem to matter as much, I don't doubt you two loved me in your own way, but, you know, I finally put the two and two together just after Coach Sue's sister's funeral, who knew that all it took in the end for you two to finally get it was for you to fall off our Boat Trip and be stranded on an island, much better than being locked in a stupid locker room, man, you two can be so stubborn and damn thick, I never understood why I could see it and you two couldn't and you call me dim," Finn said as he crossed his arms and Santana and Puck laughed.

Quinn and Rachel just gapped.

"Finn noticed feelings," Quinn stage whispered.

"I know, I'm surprised too," Rachel said.

But before anyone could say anything else, the bell rung and people had to get to class.

"I'll see you after history," Quinn said as she pecked Rachel's lips.

"Okay, we have English together then, don't we?" Rachel asked.

"Yes we do, if we do _'The Tempest'_ for our Shakespeare section, I'm going to laugh,"

"Me too,"

* * *

Since then, life just went on, as it always did, the New Directions were all, finally, becoming closer to one another; and before everyone knew it, it was time to start considering their futures as well as consider what to do at Nationals that year.

Rachel and Quinn were back on a steady flow of school work and caught up with what was needed and maintain their usual good grades before they considered which colleges to go to.

Quinn opted to study something along the lines of Marine Biology and Veterinary, so she was tossing up between UCLA and San Diego State.

Either way, she wanted a good gate way into the right programmes to become mainly a Marine Vet.

Rachel was bound for New York and NYADA, and Quinn knew this.

The two girls had discussed this, and while they were sad that they were leaving each other, they promised to keep in contact and write, and if they could afford it, visit each other.

It was going to be hard and will have bumpy roads, but they were doing their best to prepare for that.

When it was time for Nationals that year, the New Directions were pleased to have won it and were surprised when they were welcome backed like heroes at McKinley.

As a celebration, Mr Schuester took them all out for dinner at Breadsticks, and Quinn eventually took Rachel home for a celebration of their own, after her Dads were asleep of course...thank god for her sound proof bedroom.

* * *

About a week before school ended, the two girls were approached by a documentary crew wanting to interview them about survival on a deserted island.

It took some convincing, especially when their parents were involved, and Quinn was a bit reluctant to go back, Rachel didn't care either way, but the girls were scheduled for an interview and the crew flew them back to the island to show them around and talk.  
It was rather an eventual filming schedule with scary and hilarious events.

About a week before Rachel was going to leave for NYADA the interview was scheduled to be played on the television.

The New Directions wanted to make an evening of it, so they all were gathered at Rachel's place laughing and chatting as the three parents were in the kitchen preparing the snacks with Quinn's help and Rachel was engaging with people in the Living Room playing host.

"Quinn, Dads, Mom, our interview slash documentary is starting soon," Rachel said as she bounced into the Kitchen where Hiram and LeRoy were trying to get the microwave popcorn into the bowl as well as prepare drinks.

Judy smiled at Rachel calling her 'Mom', she was busy making vegan snacks for Rachel and Hiram, as well as prepare the usual snacks for everyone else.

"I can't believe they actually were interested in us," Quinn muttered.

"Of course they were, who's ever heard of two high school girls surviving a deserted island and each other, I'm assuming they're going to think it inspirational,"

"Yay, we're a new sensation, great," Quinn muttered sarcastically as she gripped onto Rachel's hand, "Though I suppose this will be good practice for you for when you become famous on Broadway,"

"Exactly," Rachel said with a smile, "So c'mon, let's go watch it,"

Everyone eventually sat down in the living room as the documentary played.

The host of the documentary started speaking, _"Tonight on a special one hour documentary, we interview Lucy Quinn Fabray and Rachel Barbra Berry, two High School students from Lima, Ohio, who were forced to fend for themselves when the ship that they were on was struck by a small rogue wave, knocking the two unconscious and into the unpredictable ocean, there the two spent almost two months surviving snakes, sharks and apparently each other,"_

And as the interview began there was a mid-close up shot of Quinn, glasses on her face and looking slightly unsure as the interviewer asked, _"You and Rachel were stuck on that island for a long time, how did you two end up there in the first place?"_

Quinn started speaking first, _"Well we were talking or arguing about something snarky I said while on the trip, see we weren't friends to start off with, we are more like frenemies, we didn't like each other, or at least, I didn't like her,"_

_"Really? Because you seem so close now,"_

_"That's because we ended up realising we needed each other to survive, or rather I needed her to survive so I played nice and the more we got to know each other the more I realised she's actually really awesome,"_

_"And how did you feel about being stuck on the island with Quinn, Rachel?"_

The camera cut to Rachel as she answered, _"Terrified, I knew she didn't like me then, we didn't know if we were going to live, we didn't even know the island well or what was there, all we knew was that it had a river,"_

_"That had a Bull Shark in it,"_ Quinn added.

Rachel laughed, _"Yes, that had a Bull Shark in it, but growing up I was taught how to hunt and survive for such situations,"_

The camera then panned out and filmed the two girls as the interviewers voice was heard asking,_ "So what did you do and how did you do it? To survive in such a place?"_

Rachel started it this time,_ "We decided to scope out the island and then we eventually went around to setting up three different shelters,"_

_"I hit my thumb or injured myself in some way at each building,"_ Quinn added as Rachel suppressed a giggle, _"But it was amazing to watch her just go with the flow, and then she taught me how to make rope, and that was fun,"_

_"Until Quinn grabbed onto a snake,"_ Rachel said as the interviewer was heard gasping_ "We freaked out, I mean, I know how to survive, but having a snake that close to me, no, absolutely no, but it did end up being Quinn's dinner, otherwise we went fishing and Quinn had her lunch stolen by Frankie, that's how we first met him,"_

_"Who's Frankie?"_ the interviewer asked.

_"He was our pet sea lion pup, he was so cute,"_ Rachel answered.

_"He became like a member of the family on that island, and when I became blind from corneal burn, make a note people don't stare at the ocean too long, as Rachel once told me, 'Sometimes pretty things can hurt you', anyway, when I became blind we started a system of how I could get around and he guided me around in places where we didn't have the rope guide that we built, and he helped me go fishing,"_ Quinn answered.

_"How did you handle being blind on the island?"_ the interviewer asked.

_"What else can you do? You have to survive, I'm lucky Rachel was with me or I'm sure I would have just died,"_ Quinn answered.

_"Were there any moments where you thought you were going to die?"_

_"Yes, I was chased by a shark as I attempted to find the other half of our boat to see if there were anymore supplies, fortunately for me, an adult sea lion was there and it had just swum in front of shark's face and I managed to hide behind some jagged rocks as the shark attacked the sea lion instead,"_

Rachel's face could be seen getting sad and tears had glassed her eyes over, _"I thought she died, we didn't see each other for almost twenty-four hours, she had collapsed further up than I anticipated so I never searched for her there, I cried, we were starting to become close by then, so the fact that I had lost her just made me feel lost,"_ she said.

_"When I finally came to, I tried to go back for her, but we ended up missing each other by a bit before meeting up at the beach bivouac, I think she thought I was a large bear or something like that,"_ Quinn added.

_"I just couldn't believe that you were alive, that's all,"_

_"And how about you Rachel, were there moments when you thought you two weren't going to make it?"_ the Interviewer asked.

_"Yeah, but that was after Quinn was rescued, when the storm hit the island hard I was out gathering berries and the trees and debris fell on me, I was in and out of consciousness and thought maybe this is it, you know,"_ Rachel answered.

_"Why didn't you leave the island at the same time as Quinn?"_

_"Because I was scared of what would happen if I went back, I wasn't popular, still aren't, and I didn't have friends, home life wasn't fantastic because my fathers always worked, I was scared that things would go back to what they were and I'd be miserable, the island was a safe place,"_

_"I felt horrible because I didn't realise that fact until after I left,"_ Quinn added.

The scene cut and was back at the host who then said, _"Coming up, the girls take us back to the island and show us where they lived, how they survived, as well as helping the crew survive a brush in with a very angry sea lion guarding its' pups, we will be back after the break,"_

There was then a cut-scene of what was coming up next, the clip showed Rachel and Quinn pointing and showing the area, and Rachel was shifting through the debris of what was the beach bivouac, the girls showed the crew the waterfall spot and ledged cave before the scene all of a sudden had people screaming and running as a sea lion was heard chasing them.

"That's going to be an interesting part of the interview," Rachel said on the couch as she cuddled up to Quinn.

"I can't wait to see the chase moment," Hiram said as LeRoy laughed, they knew exactly what had happened at that moment.

"That was funny, I have the whole thing on camera, it's going to be played at Quinn's twenty-first," Rachel laughed.

"That seemed so funny, wish I was there to tease Q all about it," Santana laughed, she had seen the clip as Rachel had shown it to her and Brittany when they came back.

"Oh shush all of you," Quinn grumbled.

* * *

**AN 2: **Next chapter will be of the actual interview itself as they are filming, so it'll be a 'flashback'.


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: **So,two things.

1. I have to say thank you to RVFlorida, because of the PM messaging I was mulling over about future chapters, because sadly, this story is slowly coming to an end, and it's because of you that I've decided to feature what happens to the girls' while they're in college, so we got an extra chapter.  
Originally I was just going to end it here and do an epilogue, so you will get at least one more chapter and then the epilogue.

2. This chapter will feature a flashback, and just to** warn **you**, **this chapter is a bit longer than usual**, AND it's bittersweet and sad. So, be warned, you will probably get sad reading this.**

* * *

**Chapter 17:**

When the documentary came to an end, it was Santana who spoke first.

"I can't believe they gave you two such a sappy ending," she said.

"I thought it was cute," Brittany said.

The scene they were referring to was the moment where the documentary was drawing to a close and they had filmed Rachel and Quinn walking along the beach of the island together hand in hand, as a family of sea lion pups and a teenage sea lion was following them, the caption of that ending was, _'And with a journey like that of strength, courage and love, we will hope this unconventional family will be happy together for a long time,'_

"They're making it seem like you are going to live with those sea lions and each other," Mercedes laughed.

"It would be fun, huh?" Rachel said, "Did you know they're also putting us in National Geographic? They have candid pictures of us while we were on breaks and stuff, there's this really cute one of Quinn sleeping and the baby sea lions are sleeping either on her or next to her and her head was the teenager's side,"

"They had a cute one of you too, you were hanging upside down on a tree and laughing," Quinn added.

"I know they took a few of us when we were at the waterfall spot and were jumping off the waterfall and sliding down the rock slide and the family of sea lions were copying us,"

"That was a fun day,"

"And you guys got Disneyland out of that, and a holiday in L.A., so jealous of you," Santana said.

Quinn just laughed as she remembered the day Rachel and her were approached by the film production team.

* * *

_Flashback:_

Quinn was looking at the reporter and production crew in disbelief, Rachel was just stunned.

"You want to do what?" Quinn gapped.

"We would like to take you back," the production woman said to Quinn and Rachel.

"Why?" Rachel asked.

"Because we'd like to do a story on survival on a deserted island, it's a human interest story," the production woman said.

"Look, Mrs, uh," Quinn started.

"Colfax," Mrs Colfax said.

"Right, look Mrs Colfax, it's great that you'd like to do an interview, but I'm not sure how comfortable I am about going back," Quinn said, "Rachel?"

"I don't mind, it'd be great to see what the place is like almost a year later," Rachel answered.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean it'd be like getting closure, you know, something we can do together before we head off to college,"

"I guess,"

"No, no, you can't take the girls back, it's dangerous," Hiram said as he put a hand on Rachel's shoulder and Rachel smiled up at him.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea," LeRoy said, "I mean I understand that you're interested, but we worry about the girls,"

"I can't bear the idea of Quinn disappearing back to that place either," Judy added.

"Well, we're willing to get you there and back all expenses paid, and we're willing to let you guys stay an extra few days in Los Angeles, we'd pay for everything, save for the food and knick knacks you'd want to buy while sightseeing, but we'd pay for the hotel and things there, it's a better offer than what other companies would give you, I assure you," Mrs Colfax said.

"We could have family time at Disneyland," Rachel said looking at Quinn.

"What's the outline going to be like anyway?" Quinn asked, just thinking of that.

"Oh, well, the host will start it, then we plan to start with a short introduction with you two, then we'll start on your history, not too detailed, what your interests were, the school you were at, what you were like together before the island, then we'll mention the company and what happened on the ship, feature your interview a bit more and then we'll show the island, and we're hoping it'll feature clips of what you two did and how you did it, before we come back to talking to you about your futures and what you dream about," Mrs Colfax explained.

"I already know what I dream about, and that is that Rachel and I go on to have successful careers, we'll get married and have kids and then settle down," Quinn said crossing her arms as Rachel kissed her cheek.

"You can say that in the interview,"

"Look, we want to go with the girls, okay, we don't care if we have to pay for another chopper, but we want to go with them," LeRoy said as Hiram and Judy agreed with him.

"We can arrange for that," Mrs Colfax said with a smile, "So, are you girls up for it?"

Rachel smiled a yes, Quinn sighed a yes.

"Oh, and before I forget, a good friend of mine who is a writer and photographer for National Geographic is coming along, and she was wondering if she could do a piece on you two too, is that okay?" Mrs Colfax asked.

"Yeah, why not," Quinn sighed.

* * *

As the trip was being organised, the girls found themselves in the Glee Room with the other members of New Directions and only one thing that was on everyone's minds….College, or at least, most of them were focussed on college.

"So, what are you going to do Q?" Santana asked.

"I was tossing up between San Diego State and UCLA so I'll see what the acceptance letters say, probably San Diego State, although, I think UCLA has a branch there too," Quinn answered as Rachel cuddled up to her and she subconsciously began caressing the brunette's arm.

"How about you Berry?"

"NYADA in New York," Rachel answered.

"Wait…how are you two going to stay together if you're that far apart? I mean long distance relationships are hard and they don't work out,"

"You mean they don't always work out, but Quinn and I discussed this, we're going to try our best to stay in contact and see each other for the holidays, also we have to work on our futures too, NYADA is where I need to be to get onto Broadway, Quinn wants to be a Marine Biologist and Veterinarian, so California offers her what she's looking for,"

"It's gonna be hard,"

"I know,"

"How about you S, where are you going?" Quinn asked.

"Well, B got me to go to Kentucky, so I'm going there," Santana answered.

"I have to stay a year behind," Brittany said sadly as Santana patted her back softly.

"L.A. for me," Puck said, "Hey Q, you and I can hook up, we're in the same area,"

Rachel glared at him.

"Not like that," Puck said as he put up his hands in a surrender position, "I meant hang out and stuff,"

Rachel huffed before saying, "You better look after her, oh and if I hear that you try and get her with her, I'm going to make sure your Puckasaurus becomes extinct,"

Puck shrunk slightly at that and crossed his legs as everyone laughed.

"I'm going to NYADA too, Rachel and I are going to be roommates," Kurt said as the laughter died down.

"You look after my girl, okay Kurt," Quinn said.

"I promise,"

"I've enlisted in the Army," Finn said.

"Dancing in Chicago.," Mike said.

"I'm going to see that Record Label who saw my video on YouTube, so L.A.," Mercedes smiled.

"I'm going to miss you guys so much," Tina said as she burst into tears and eventually so did everyone else as they all came together for a massive group hug.

* * *

The day soon came when Rachel and Quinn were heading back to the island.

When they arrived they realised that everything was more or less there. The damage was not as evident anymore.

"So that is where Quinn and I stayed during the nights that were hot and we wanted to be under the stars," Rachel said as she pointed at the Beach Bivouac, "I learnt about safety and building bivouacs if you didn't have a tent available,"

"This is the rope she and I made so that I could walk between the spots safely," Quinn said as she pointed to the guide ropes that were still there.

"Can you girls explain what it was like to live here?" Mrs Colfax asked.

"Yeah," Rachel said, "You get used to it after a while, even now I have a hard time sleeping on a bed,"

"Me too, anyway, there were days where it was boring and, hey look Rachel, our checkers and chess board are still here," Quinn said as she picked up the flat rock and the pieces that got scattered due to the weather.

"You two used to play checkers and chess?"

"Yeah, to pass the time, and we talked together too, those were days when we had enough food and water, so we were good, hey, there's my spear,"

"You have a spear?"

"Yes, I used it for hunting and spear fishing,"

"I just used a rope and hook I made," Rachel said as she found her old fishing line.

"I thought you were Vegan," Mrs Colfax said.

"I am, it's just when it comes to survival, sometimes you don't have a choice, I'm back on my Vegan diet again because I can do something about it, here on this island though, you have to survive and I couldn't just live off fruit,"

"How about you Quinn?"

"I'm only a semi-vegetarian now, it just means that I'm not eating as much meat as I used to," Quinn answered.

"Oh Quinn look," Rachel said as she picked up a rope harness.

"That's a small looking harness, what was it for?" Mrs Colfax asked as the camera kept rolling and her friend took pictures of the girls holding the harness.

"It's Frankie's harness, he was a sea lion pup that we had adopted, when I became blind, we made this harness and he lead me around, he was so smart, there were days when I didn't know where Rachel was after spear fishing with him, so I'd just tell him to lead me to her and he did," Quinn said.

"Where is Frankie now?"

"We don't know, most likely dead because the last time either of us saw him was the day Quinn got rescued," Rachel said, "He tried to follow the helicopter, but he was so small, and there are sharks out here, we saw a couple of Great Whites by the colony but most are Bull Sharks,"

"I guess you both miss him," Mrs Colfax stated rather than asked.

"Yeah," Rachel said as she sniffed and Quinn kissed her head.

"Why don't you guys lead us around more," Mrs Colfax said.

"Okay, well, we can take you around the circumference of the island," Rachel started.

"Or up to the colony, you can get a great view of sea lions and sharks," Quinn said.

"Okay, let's go,"

As everyone kept walking they saw that three small sea lion pups were in front of them.

"Oh they're so cute," Rachel said.

"No Rachel, we're not getting another pet sea lion," Quinn said raising her eyebrow.

"They remind me of Frankie, remember he was so small,"

"And yet he still had the ability to steal my lunch,"

"You're never going to forget that are you?"

"Nope,"

The camera crew tried to go nearer to the three pups to film, but they were terrified of the people as they tried to get away, squealing in fear as they did.

Just then, an older sea lion started running towards them, bearing his teeth angrily as he growled at the people near the pups.

The camera crew left the camera rolling even though people were running away from the attacking sea lion.

"Holy crap, run," one of the camera guys yelped.

Everyone backed away, except for Quinn and Rachel.

"FRANKIE!" Rachel squealed happily and Quinn said the same thing.

Frankie stopped rushing at them angrily when he recognised them too and waddled up to them happily, making happy sounds as he reached them.

"Definitely a boy," Rachel laughed as tears fell from her eyes and she sniffled.

He walked up to Quinn who knelt down and wrapped her arms around his neck to hug him as did Rachel.

"Oh Frankie I missed you, even if you did steal my food," Quinn said as she sniffed before she stroked the now teenaged sea lion's head.

"Where have you been huh?" Rachel asked as she stroked his head and then noticed the scars on his body.

"Oh no, what happened to you?" Quinn asked as she touched the side of Frankie's body where scars were evident.

"Looks like a shark almost got him," the photographer said.

"You're a lucky boy, you're just like Quinn, you survived a shark attack," Rachel said as she patted Frankie's head.

"Probably a damn Bull Shark, one of them nearly got me and killed his mother," Quinn said.

"You managed to out swim a Bull Shark?" Mrs Colfax asked in surprise.

"Yeah, but only because, and I assume it was his mother, swam in front of the shark trying to out swim it and got eaten instead,"

Frankie happily leaned in against Rachel's legs before he noticed that Quinn still had the harness in her hands, he barked at her and tried to fit in, but of course he was now a teenager and was too big for the harness.

"Sorry Frankie, you're too big now," Quinn said as she stroked his head.

"Can you show us what he can do?" Mrs Colfax asked.

"I don't know if he'd remember," Quinn started.

"Can you try?"

Quinn nodded her head as she took her glasses off and gave them to Rachel, Rachel walked away and back to the beach bivouac with one of the cameramen.

"Frankie, help me find Rachel," Quinn said.

Frankie looked confused for a moment, but everyone soon realised it was because he was trying to figure out how to get back in the harness, when that failed he just grabbed what he could with his teeth and lead Quinn back to the beach bivouac and barked happily when he saw Rachel there.

The girls then showed their routine with Frankie, hunting, gathering, how he would just play with Quinn's feet when she was sitting down, spear fishing and of course the wake-up call, although that was because Quinn and Rachel had fallen asleep during break time.

Frankie had walked up to Rachel first and gave her a slobbery kiss, making the brunette go 'EW' really loudly before he walked up to Quinn and barked loudly in her ear making her jump in shock.

"God, Frankie," Quinn yelped.

Everyone was laughing at the two.

* * *

Afterwards the girls kept talking about what they did and showed people the ledged cave as they took a camera in to show where their things were.

As they exited the ledged cave, the girls started walking up the path more.

"Girls where are you going?" LeRoy asked.

"Waterfall," they both yelled back as Frankie and the three sea lion pups ran behind them.

They showed everyone the waterfall spot last.

Rachel and Quinn had gotten changed into their bathing suits, (that they conveniently had on underneath their clothes), as they ran to the top of the waterfall, Quinn did a backflip into the water, (giving Judy a heart attack as she screech) and Rachel slid down the rock slide, Frankie followed suit and went down the rock slide first, the three pups cautiously followed him as they too slid down into the water.

Eventually, Frankie followed Quinn up to the drop and jumped just after she did.

It was a fun time.

* * *

Sadly though, all good things must come to an end as the camera crew, National Geographic reporter and Mrs Colfax got the footage they wanted.

Quinn and Rachel grabbed some of the gear they had left behind, the rope of course they left, but the spear and checkers and chess board they took back with them, as well as Rachel running around picking up what rubbish she could from the rations, even though Quinn found it really gross.

As everyone boarded the helicopter, Quinn and Rachel were left to say goodbye to Frankie.

One guy left the camera rolling as Quinn and Rachel were walking up the beach hand in hand and Frankie was following them with the three pups behind him.

"I guess he has a family here now," Rachel said as she and Quinn paused and Frankie stopped behind them.

"Yeah I think he does," Quinn said as the sea lion pups surrounded Frankie and started climbing over him.

"I wish we could take him home, but we know what'd happen,"

"Yeah, scientists and researchers would probably want to probe and observe him because he was able to lead me around and then we wouldn't get peace either because they'd want to see our interactions, we'd all be miserable lab rats,"

"Exactly, I do miss him though, but I'm glad he's got family here now,"

"Yeah, me too,"

"Besides, with us going to college and being apart, he'd have no life, no fun, we can't do that to him, he's still a wild animal,"

"I know,"

Rachel smiled sadly as she looked at Frankie.

Frankie looked over at them as he waddled up to them. He felt it, they were going to say goodbye and the chances of seeing them again wasn't high.

Life goes on and he was part of the colony now, even though it wasn't usual that a male sea lion, especially a teenager, was one to help look after the pups.

With this feeling of goodbye, for old times sake Frankie dove into the water and caught a fish for Quinn. Rachel started filming the moment with her phone.

"Argh, Frankie," Quinn said as she took the fish in her hands, "Thank you,"

Being the cheeky sea lion he was though, he ran up to Quinn and grabbed it out of her hand and made a sound that almost sounded like laughing.

"Hey, that was my fish you gave it to me, no take backs," Quinn said as she started running after him.

Frankie started running away, food still in his mouth, making highly amused sounds. The pups that he had adopted followed him.

"FRANKIE, GIVE ME THE FISH," Quinn was seen yelling.

The sight was quite funny, you had a teenaged sea lion running away from a teenaged girl with a fish in its' mouth and right behind Quinn was a line of sea lion pups all barking in their little cute way.

Rachel was trying so hard not to laugh.

Everyone else behind her however, did.

Finally Frankie stopped and swallowed the fish.

"I'm gonna miss you buddy," Quinn said as she patted Frankie's chest, "You be good, okay, you look after these pups, and watch out for Sharks,"

Frankie just pressed his nose against her cheeks as he and Quinn walked back to Rachel.

"Maybe one day we'll see each other again, maybe you can come to the U.S., it's far though," Quinn sighed as she finally reached Rachel.

"I'm going to miss you," Rachel said as she started crying and that got Quinn going too.

Frankie just huffed sadly as he pressed his nose against Rachel's cheek too.

_'Goodbye,'_ he thought out to them.


	18. Chapter 18

**An: **Okay, so this chapter is kinda long too, yeesh, I didn't realise that writing about snippets of their college years would be so long.  
Next chapter will feature Quinn's Masters and PhD journey as well as Rachel getting into Television because I just couldn't fit all of it here.  
The programmes mentioned by Quinn are what I've managed to find out through "researching" courses available at UCLA and San Diego State University websites, as well as looking at the New York Estuary (and there's apparently a Marine Research Centre there too - Harbour Seals).

In this Chapter you'll see if the girls actually stay together or not. (Though I'm sure most of you already have a hunch and are just wondering how the heck I worked around it - Lol).

Oh and just so you know, in the epilogue, our favourite Otariidae will make a return...in some form.

**Enjoy Chapter 18.**

* * *

**Chapter 18:**

Pregnancy, really? Pregnancy, of all the things people would assume of Rachel Barbra Berry, being pregnant in her first year of college was not supposed to be one of them.

And it was all Quinn's fault.

While they were back home together for the Christmas break, Quinn was over at the Berry's house and completely unaware that people were arriving there earlier than expected for a potluck dinner; the group was basically the New Directions alumni and the old current members that the alumni knew.

As for parents, the only three who were there were the Berry men and Judy, the three were currently in the kitchen putting the food together, with Judy grumbling that Quinn should be helping and the Berry men laughing at that.

Rachel on the other hand was downstairs letting people in while Quinn was upstairs checking something on her laptop.

"Yes, holy freaking bejeebus, YES," Quinn yelled and was heard all through the house, "Rachel is definitely pregnant, WHOO HOO!"

Back downstairs everyone gapped as they looked at Rachel, who had by that stage covered her face in embarrassment as she knew what the blonde was talking about.

"You're pregnant?" Santana asked in surprise, "Was it with that Brody guy? Because seriously, I tolds him to back off and so did you,"

(See, Santana had moved in with Rachel and Kurt as she decided to try her luck living and working in New York City because Kentucky apparently wasn't doing it for her).

"It wasn't Brody, okay, he and I never got close enough, Quinn's talking about…," Rachel started but LeRoy cut her off.

"How in the World are you pregnant? I mean, I know how, but, honey, I thought you and Quinn were still together," LeRoy said.

"We won't be for long if she doesn't shut up," Rachel muttered and muffled through her hands because she knew Quinn was about to come running down the stairs proclaiming the news.

And sure enough, two seconds later, "Oh my god, Rachel, I can't believe it, I got you pregnant, yes, we did it, whoo, I mean I know it's a tricky procedure, but seriously, yay, after trying so hard for a baby, we finally have a baby, I mean it'll only ever be a girl because the procedure puts two eggs together, not that we see it, but still, you're pregnant and yay, our first daughter, oh, we're calling her Maddie and….Rachel?" Quinn said and then wondered why Rachel was so quiet.

As she entered the Living Room, she paled a little bit as everyone was staring at her.

"Uh, so, well, um…" Quinn started.

"Quinn, can you explain how and why Rachel is pregnant?" Judy asked raising her eyebrow at her daughter.

"It's a procedure that, um," Quinn stuttered.

"Quinn!" Rachel squealed.

"It's in this new game I have,"

"A game?"

"Yeah, The Sims franchise have upgraded their software and game play and gay couples are now recognised as married and can have children, I mean the men can only adopt, but the women can have this procedure where they get their two eggs fused to make a baby girl, it's based on real life, not that you'd see it in the game because you know, ew, but yeah, I made our family, as in Rachel and I, and I've trying to get her pregnant for a while and now she is," Quinn said really fast as everyone gapped and Santana burst out laughing.

"Oh my god Q, you and the Hobbit are so funny," Santana laughed and everyone followed suit, "Only you two would get people worked up about pregnancy over a video game,"

"So Rachel's not pregnant?" Hiram asked.

"Well, she is," Quinn answered before realising she was answering about the wrong one, "I mean NO, not, not your Rachel, I mean, not the live one,"

"I'm breaking up with you," Rachel muffled through her hands.

"Oh c'mon Rach, I didn't mean for them to hear that, I didn't realise they'd be here," Quinn pleaded and pouted.

"Fine, but only because you're so cute,"

"Thank you,"

The two kissed quickly as everyone in the room started to catch up with one another again and seeing how they were going.

"How's the long distance thing going?" Santana asked Quinn.

"Hard, but you know, we're getting there, I miss her, a lot, but in the long run it'll be worth it," Quinn answered.

When Santana asked why she decided to do Marine Biology and Veterinarian, "Frankie," was Quinn's only reply.

No one else got it, but Rachel did.

After being around Frankie, she could tell that the blonde was fascinated by the sea mammal and the ecology of the colony.

"What are you going to do with Broadway and all that?" Santana asked Rachel, "Because I don't think you and I ever really sat down and talked about it, I don't do mushy stuff,"

"I know, well, I hope to get on Broadway first, and maybe if I'm lucky, in a few years, I'll get work in movies and television, I hope I do, I love acting," Rachel answered with a small laugh.

"Hey, maybe you'd get to move to L.A.,"

"That's the eventual plan, yes,"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean, I don't want to stay in just one place forever and being in Hollywood may offer me the doors I need to walk in to,"

"Won't you miss Broadway?"

"Of course, I'm sure it won't be the same after I move, but there'll be options to do, did you know L.A. has theatre too?"

"Yeah, yeah, so you have plans,"

"Of course I do,"

"What about you Quinn?"

"I'm probably going to be based mainly in California, there's a research and rehabilitation centre for injured Marine mammals and I have my eye on interning there," Quinn answered.

"What are you going to do if Berry ever gets the lead?"

"I'll support her and I'll be there opening night,"

"Really?" Rachel said with a smitten smile.

"Of course I will, your first lead will be a big deal, and I want to be a part of that,"

And that was the main event of their first year, well, unless you include the time where Quinn managed to visit Rachel to stop her from doing a topless scene and Rachel had to stop Quinn from nearly killing Cassandra July.

It was a rather funny sight.

Kurt had it on film, you could see the blonde's face getting contorted with rage as she saw Cassandra and Rachel's face morphed into one of fear as she quickly grabbed onto the blonde to stop her, you could tell she said something to Quinn to stop her as the blonde had relaxed a bit, only to have her anger flare up again when she heard Cassandra call Rachel "Miss Schwimmer, get your talentless ass here,"

"Oh you did NOT just say that about my girlfriend," Quinn said angrily as she started moving towards Cassandra to deck her and Rachel had to hold her around the waist but was close to unsuccessful as Quinn was seen dragging her along with her.

In the end, all it took from Rachel was, "I don't want to be kicked out of this school and she holds a bit of sway here, Quinn," Rachel gritted out in effort as she tried to stop Quinn at the same time.

That got Quinn stopping as she turned to Cassandra and said, "You're lucky she cares about this school or you'd be on your ass blondie," Quinn spat, Cassandra seemed unaffected, but Quinn saw the glint of fear in her eye even if no one else did.

Other than that, nothing else to report except that classes sometimes got boring for Quinn and stressful for Rachel, oh and Quinn turned into a hermit during exam times.

* * *

Second year proved a bit harder to keep the relationship going due to work, studies and a production, not that it stopped Quinn and Rachel from trying.

Rachel had tried out for a role as Fanny Brice in the upcoming production of Funny Girl and she surprisingly got the lead, which meant that she worked less at the diner (a job that Kurt and Santana got for her the prior year), and she was excited, she called Quinn first, then her Dads, who told Judy for her, then of course Mr Schuester.

"I got the part Quinn, I got it," Rachel said excitedly, "He came into the diner and told me to write something to put on the cake and told me I got it,"

"Congratulations Sweetie, I knew you could do it," Quinn said.

"Thank you, so, how are you?"

"I'm busy, I think the assignments just got longer and it's driving me crazy, plus all this stuff I have to remember, but I am looking into the Vet courses, so, I'm getting there,"

"That's wonderful Sweetie,"

When it was time for the production to start its' first show, Quinn surprised Rachel by being there on opening night with a bouquet of roses.

"Quinn, you made it," Rachel squealed as she jumped into Quinn's arms and kissed her after the show.

"Of course I did, I pulled some strings so I could get an extension on my assignment, and my Mom helped me get here as a Birthday present, so I'm here," Quinn smiled.

"I love you, thank you," Rachel said as she kissed Quinn again.

"I love you too,"

"So, what did you think?"

"I thought you did a wonderful job, you'd have made Barbra proud,"

"Really?"

"Yes really, I wouldn't lie to you,"

"I know, so, where shall we go? What shall we do?"

"Well, do you wanna go somewhere to eat?"

"Or you two can have the apartment, Kurt and I will be out clubbing to give you two the place, just don't do it on the kitchen table or anywhere communal because I will know and I will kick your ass," Santana said as Kurt nodded his head.

"Have fun you two, oh and Rachel, you were fantastic," Kurt said as he hugged Rachel tightly.

And fun they did have, they decided that they'd go get some food first and make something at home, having fun cooking together and watching movies before having fun in the, uh, well, boudoir, fine they slept together, there, it's been said.

* * *

Third year was the year the two nearly broke up and it all started with Santana in New York and a girl named Julie in California.

Santana had stated to Rachel that the other brunette needed to go out and relax more and she wanted to go clubbing. Rachel stated that she only just turned twenty and it was freezing out in New York during December.

Santana just said she needed a sober walker to make sure she didn't do any crazy stuff. Rachel sighed and agreed much to Santana's delight as she went about to get Rachel a fake id.

Of course the night got wild, mainly because it's Santana, and a scandalous photo was taken of Rachel being embraced tightly by another brunette girl and that photo was posted on Facebook by Kurt labelled Rachel's Wild Night.

Quinn threw a fit, "How could you do that Rachel?" she had screamed on the phone.

"I didn't do anything, Quinn calm down," Rachel started.

"Calm down? Rachel, there's an intimate picture of you circling around Facebook,"

"What picture?"

"The one Santana posted up,"

Rachel scrambled to her laptop and opened up Santana's Facebook page, "Oh my god, I'm going to kill her, Quinn the girl in the picture IS Santana, she got really drunk and I had to try and carry her because Kurt was a bit out of it too, he must have taken the picture, I swear Sweetie I was sober all night," she said.

Now Quinn felt really bad for jumping to conclusions, "I'm sorry, I just, we're so far apart and I miss you so much and I hate it that everyone else is so near to you and I can't hold you and I,"

"Quinn, you really need to learn to trust me,"

"I do, I just, I don't trust everyone else,"

"And yet you yelled at me first,"

Quinn was silent.

"Quinn, why did you jump to that conclusion? Did you, did you do something? Because statistically people who accuse their partners of infidelity are doing it themselves," Rachel said.

"WHAT? No, of course not, I wouldn't do that to you," Quinn said.

"Oh really?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"How about your picture huh? The one of you kissing a girl,"

"What girl?"

"Facebook,"

It was Quinn's turn to look at pictures and then she found it, "Uh, well, that, that's not what it looks like," she stuttered.

"Quinn she's all over you, and you're kissing her, why didn't you tell me about this?" Rachel demanded.

"It's not what you think, I was at a party and that girl's name is Julie, she and I hit it off,"

"WHAT?"

"Not like that, I swear it Rachel, not like that, she has a boyfriend and she got really drunk and walked up to me thinking I was him,"

"How can she mistake a pretty girl like you for her boyfriend?"

"Lapse in judgment of distance, he was standing right next to me, she was aiming for him and kissed me instead then proclaimed 'Oh my god Rick, you're shorter than I remember,' if you look at the picture you'll see I'm surprised and not happy, I was trying to push her away, I swear Sweetie, nothing else happened, there's no one else,"

"And your track record shows,"

"What?"

"Sorry, that, that came out wrong, I didn't mean that,"

"Rachel, if we're going to have trust issues then maybe this isn't going to work," and with that, Quinn angrily hung up the phone.

Quinn was crying in her room hours later when Santana had called her back and yelled at her, "Hey puta, what the hell? What did you do to make my girl cry her eyes out in the bathroom?"

So Quinn told her everything.

"I'm going to kill Kurt, I've been busy so I haven't even been on Facebook in days he must have put it up using my phone while he was drunk too, as for you two, I'm going to kick both of your asses, clearly the time apart isn't doing you two good, this coming break you both are going to spend time together and work your crap out," Santana said, "Oh, and you're both still together so no random hooking up or I'll kick your ass,"

With that she hung up.

A week later it was the break, Quinn and Rachel both returned to Lima and talked, Santana and Brittany weren't too far away.

"I'm sorry I said what I did Quinn, I'm just hurt you'd think I'd cheat on you," Rachel said as the two were sitting down for coffee.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Julie, but I swear it on Frankie, nothing happened," Quinn said, "And I'm sorry I assumed and yelled at you,"

"Apology accepted, and you don't have to swear on Frankie, I believe you,"

"So, we're still together, right?"

"I don't think we ever officially broke up, so yeah, we're still together,"

"Good,"

"NOW KISS," Santana yelled over as Brittany slapped her arm, "Ow, B?!"

"You ruined the moment S" Brittany chastised.

The other two laughed as Quinn pulled Rachel onto her lap.

"Quinn, we're at a café," Rachel started.

"So what? I don't care," Quinn said as she kissed Rachel, "I'm sorry, no more hiding stuff?"

"No more hiding stuff, if something happens, we always tell the other, and no assuming stuff,"

"Okay,"

"Remember Quinn, when I'm famous, tabloids will run riot,"

"Okay, okay,"

* * *

At the end of her fourth year at college (and what should have been her last year), Quinn had finished with Honours and decided that she wanted to pursue a Masters before doing her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). She firstly graduated and Rachel was there at the ceremony in California for her graduation with Judy, Hiram and LeRoy.

"Congratulations Sweetie," Rachel said as she kissed Quinn's lips.

"Thank you, and thank you for coming," Quinn said as she kissed Rachel back.

"Of course I was going to come,"

"Are you going to come later?"

"Quinn!" Rachel shrieked as she slapped Quinn's chest.

"Ow, body part," Quinn said.

"You deserved that, that was indecent,"

"You still liked it," Quinn whispered into her ear.

It was at dinner when Quinn made her announcement, "I've been accepted into the Master's Programme at UCLA,"

"Really? Congratulations Quinn" Rachel said as she hugged her.

"Well done sweetheart," Judy said as she got up and hugged her daughter.

"I'm going to research Pinnipeds and Otariidae on both coasts looking into their behaviours, ecology and ecosystems, I've yet to come with a proper title,"

The table looked at her.

"Seals and Sea Lions," Quinn said, "The great thing is is that there will be months where I will be in New York State, there is an Estuary there and I can research through them on Harbour Seals and look at the ecosystem there before looking at Florida, and when that is complete, I will be applying to San Diego State Veterinary Course while doing a PhD,"

Everyone stared at her.

"What?" she asked.

"You have great ambitions, I taught you well," Rachel laughed, "That sounds amazing Quinn, and with you in New York, you can stay with me,"

Quinn smiled as she saw her mother cry, "Mom, please don't cry,"

"Oh Quinnie, I'm just so proud of you and what you've accomplished," Judy said.

"Thank you Mom,"

Before anyone else could continue, Hiram nudged LeRoy.

"Well, we have a surprise for you two," LeRoy said.

Quinn and Rachel looked at them

"To say congratulations to Quinn for graduating and to Rachel as she will be graduating next week, we have tickets for you two to go to Tahiti for a week," LeRoy said.

"Oh my god, are you serious?" Quinn asked.

"Yes we are, Hiram and I put the money together and thought you two deserve some time together, just you two,"

Rachel had tears fall as she and Quinn hugged the two men.

"Oh, and my present for you two will come soon, Quinn I need to talk to you about it," Judy said as Quinn nodded, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

Rachel was left in the dark about it, "What is she talking about Quinn?" she asked.

"You'll see," Quinn said with a happy smirk and Rachel pouted.


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: **So, this is the second to last chapter part two of the snippets of college years, the next chapter will be the epilogue.  
I seriously want to **thank all of you** who have journeyed with me from the start to finish of this story from the bottom of my heart. Truly this was an experience I'll never forget with regards to writing.

I hope you will enjoy Chapter 19.

* * *

**Chapter 19:**

After Rachel's graduation, the two were packing up their things and getting ready for their trip.

When they were at the airport waiting to board the plane, Quinn pressed a small box that she had tucked away in her trouser pocket and smiled.

Rachel was too bubbly and happy to notice as she was talking to Quinn about projects she was signing up for, the latest was Les Miserable.

"There's an opening for Les Mis," Rachel started, "I'm going to audition, I mean it's not the lead roles as I'm just an understudy, but I will be in the background, it's a start right?"

"Yes it is, whose understudy will you be?"

"Éponine,"

"Oh god I'm going to cry when you take over,"

"Why?"

Quinn gave her a look.

"Oh right, because of what happens to her, well, I'm just an understudy," Rachel said.

"I'm glad you're getting in there Rachel, Funny Girl was just the start, I can't believe they let you go after a year," Quinn said with a smile.

"Well, I had NYADA to finish, plus my contract was only for nine months, I'm fortunate that they extended it AND that I got paid,"

"I know, but you were so good as Fanny Brice,"

"Thank you Sweetie,"

They kissed again only to be interrupted.

"Excuse me, but there are children here, surly you don't deem your behaviour appropriate," a woman a bit older than them said making a face at them.

Rachel was about to say something but Quinn beat her to it, "Considering that you were shoving your tongue down your husband's throat three minutes ago I don't see how me kissing my girlfriend softly is that bad, bug off you homophobic prude," Quinn sneered, "I'm not about to have my holiday ruined by a narrow minded human,"

"Quinn!" Rachel said sternly as Quinn gave her a look, "Time and place, there'll always be people like her around,"

"I know, but she should bug off,"

The woman huffed as she stalked back to her husband.

* * *

When they arrived in Tahiti, Quinn and Rachel trudged up to their hotel room and collapsed on the bed.

"I'm so tired, why is travelling so tiring, it doesn't make sense, you sleep on the plane all the way here?" Quinn muffled through her pillow.

"Quinn, c'mon I wanna see what this island has" Rachel said as she suddenly bounced back up again.

"You're too bouncy,"

Rachel jumped on top of Quinn before saying, "I recall you liked my bounciness,"

"Oh I do, but not right now,"

Rachel smirked as she leaned down and kissed Quinn's neck, "Are you sure?"

"No," Quinn said as she turned, leaned up and kissed Rachel's lips.

"C'mon, get up, I want food,"

Quinn just groaned.

The two walked around for a bit until they came upon a restaurant they liked and as they ate their meals in peace, they talked about their futures.

"So, how many kids?" Rachel asked as Quinn spluttered.

"What?" Quinn asked as she regained her breathing.

"If we have a family,"

"Uh, well, I don't know, two or three maybe, what about you?"

"Two sounds good, names?"

"Madison definitely,"

"You love that name don't you?"

"Yep,"

"Excuse me Misses, would you like to have dessert?" the waitress asked.

"No thank you," said Quinn as Rachel shook her head.

After dinner Quinn took Rachel by her hand and the two walked along the beach admiring the water and the way the moon seemed to dance off it.

Quinn suddenly paused as she looked across the water and adjusted her glasses with a sigh.

"Quinn?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, um, thinking," Quinn said.

"About?"

"Rachel, we've together since we got stuck on that island,"

"Yeah, it's going on five years,"

"Yes, I, I,"

"Quinn are you okay?"

"Rachel, I, dance with me Rachel,"

Rachel looked at Quinn as she took the blonde's hand and the two slow danced as Quinn softly started singing one of Westlife's songs,

_"I wanna grow old with you_

_I wanna die lying in your arms_

_I wanna grow old with you_

_I wanna be looking in your eyes_

_I wanna be there for you_

_Sharing in everything you do_

_I wanna grow old with you,"_

As they stopped dancing, Quinn looked seriously at Rachel and said, "I mean it Rachel, I want to be with you forever, so, before I lose my courage, I want to ask you Rachel,"

Quinn dropped to one knee and Rachel gasped as she realised what Quinn was about to do.

"Rachel, will you marry me?" Quinn asked as she took the small box out of her pocket, opened it and showed it to Rachel.

"Oh my god, really?" Rachel asked.

"Yes,"

"Oh my god, yes, I say yes, I'll marry you,"

Quinn laughed as Rachel flung herself into her arms and they kissed softly in the moonlight before Quinn slipped the ring onto Rachel's ring finger.

"It's beautiful Quinn," Rachel said.

"It belonged to my grandmother, she passed it down to my mother who gave it to me," Quinn said.

"Your Mom knew, didn't she?"

"Yes, so did your Dads, I guess they wanted to give us a romantic setting,"

Rachel smiled.

* * *

When they returned to California and New York, the girls found themselves thrown back into work again, although this was after an engagement party was thrown for them and all of the New Directions made it to say congratulations.  
Santana was pleased at the engagement and called Quinn a sap when Quinn recounted how she proposed, and Brittany made Santana feel pale when she said she can't wait to be proposed to by the Latina.  
Finn was so happy he scooped the both of them in his arms and said congratulations and released them after Rachel said, "Finn, I can't breathe,"

When the gathering was done and the two had to return to opposite ends of the country, Rachel auditioned for Les Miserable and got the part of extra and understudy, her contract would run for nine months and she was very excited, Quinn was there on her first night of performing.

Eventually, the girl who played Eponine finished and Rachel took over her role extending her contract, which she was pleased about.

As for Quinn, she was busy writing up her Masters as she travelled here and there and everywhere all thanks to her scholarship and grant that Rachel told her to apply for.

She was enjoying herself, and there were times when Rachel was free that she would join Quinn while the blonde was in New York.

And once her contract had finished for Les Miserable, Rachel took a small break to travel with Quinn to Florida.

"Harry Potter World Quinn, we have to go, you need to get sorted and you're getting a wand and trying Butterbeer," Rachel said.

"And where exactly do you think I'll be placed?" Quinn asked as her eyebrow raised.

"Hufflepuff because you're such a duffer,"

"Hey,"

"I'm joking, I don't know, you probably are either a Ravenclaw or a Slytherin,"

"Thank you, you probably would be Hufflepuff or Gryffindor, mind you, you can be Slytherin like,"

"Oh, then I can be with you,"

"You're always with me, even if we were in different houses,"

"Which we are,"

"You will always be with me,"

"Aww, you're so sweet,"

* * *

Masters year was soon over for Quinn, and Rachel's contract with Les Miserable had finished.  
Quinn submitted her thesis, got it published and started applying for her veterinary courses as well as her PhD Thesis, Rachel thought she was insane.

Before Quinn's academic year started the two got married, it was a beautiful ceremony filled with joy and laughter as well as happy tears, they were married in California at one of the beaches there and had the reception at a beautiful hall that overlooked the ocean.

Quinn cried, Rachel held her tears until the end and then she cried, Judy was a reserved crier and the Berry men lost it, while Santana, who was Quinn's Best Woman, will insist that she had something in her eye.  
Kurt who was Rachel's Maid of Honour cried at how beautiful the two looked in their outfits as well as the sentimental moments.

Hiram gave Rachel away, walking down the aisle with her keeping strong and trying not to lose it there, he'd save that for later.

At the reception, Quinn felt complete and Judy was so happy for her second daughter, the only sad thing for Quinn was that her sister refused to show, in fact, her sister refused to be in her life since watching the documentary on Quinn's survival and finding out about Quinn's relationship with Rachel.

But Quinn told her mother that as harsh as it sounds, it was of no loss to her, Francine would always hate her and there was nothing she could do about it.

* * *

After their honeymoon in Hawaii, a wedding gift from Judy, Quinn returned to start her PhD Thesis and Vet courses in California and Rachel returned to New York and went to audition for a few Broadway productions but didn't get the parts until she auditioned for Aladdin and got the part of Jasmine, she was excited about it.

It was in the middle of the year, as Quinn was writing her PhD and studying her Vet courses that Rachel called her with the most exciting news.

"Hello?" Quinn said as she picked up the phone.

"Quinn guess what, guess what?" Rachel said.

"You're pregnant?"

"Quinn!"

"Sorry, what?"

"I, I got nominated,"

That made Quinn sit up straighter, "You what?"

"I got nominated for Best Newcomer at the Tony's for my work as Jasmine, Quinn, I'm going to the Tony Awards, and they want me to perform," Rachel said as Kurt could be heard whooping in the background.

"Oh my god, wow, Rachel, congratulations,"

"You'll be able to come right?"

"Yeah, great thing about PhD's I can write it in my own time as long as I get the results I want, plus I'm sure my Lecturers at the vet courses will understand, I will be there for you, I promise,"

And Quinn kept her promise, although Rachel didn't win that night, she did an outstanding performance that got the attention of a few people.

It wasn't long before Rachel was contacted by her Agent about auditioning for a TV Show that was centred on singing and a Glee club.

Rachel was so excited that she sent Quinn a copy of the script and insisted that Quinn tell no one yet.

When Quinn read the script she started laughing.

Rachel was looking at her oddly over Skype, "Quinn, what's so funny?" Rachel asked.

"You seriously don't see it?" Quinn said in hysterics.

"See what?"

"Rachel,"

"What?"

"Your character says something like 'I love gold stars because one day I will be a star and metaphors are important,"

"And?"

"And your antagonist is a bitchy cheerleader who's pregnant and lying to her boyfriend about the father of the child, and your character is in love with the Quarterback,"

"Oh my god,"

"I know right?"

"Oh my god, I'm playing me,"

"Essentially,"

Rachel was slightly panicked at that, "Quinn, what do I do?"

"Rachel it's up to you, just give it a shot, you may actually have fun, besides, not all of it is like you," Quinn said.

"I, I guess,"

"And if you get the part, you'll be here with me in California, sharing my lovely danky apartment,"

Rachel laughed, "As long as I live with you, I could live in a trailer park for all I care,"

Quinn smiled.

* * *

Rachel did get the part and with the success of the show, Rachel ended up travelling a lot to various places and was away at most hours.

The only time the two saw each other was when Rachel had breaks and when Rachel got home at about one in the morning.

As her popularity started to rise, so did the paparazzi flashes and the obsessed fans, much to Quinn's annoyance. As did the tabloids. They started with Rachel having her photo taken as she was seen hugging her co-star, and then her out at another co-star's birthday and the rumour mill was flying. Rachel seemed to be dating one star after the other because she was spotted out having dinner with them.  
"You'd think they'd notice that you're married," Quinn said.  
"Oh some fans have, look at this comment, 'I have an odd suspicion that that big nosed try hard is actually married, check out her ring finger,'" Rachel said as she read the comment.  
"What did they call you?"  
"Quinn, don't worry, you can't have everyone like you,"  
"They insulted you, I'm insulted that they insulted you,"  
"Water off a ducks back Quinn,"  
As the rumour mill grew, Rachel was eventually linked to the leading man of the cast, before being linked to the "bad boy" character of the show. Quinn took it in stride, eventually, she had met most of the cast mates and they all knew the two were married. Not that they were letting the media know that just yet.

* * *

Quinn on the other hand was happy with her quieter life choice and was interning at the California Research and Rescue Centre and had stints of work where she would do work at San Diego Sea World as well, Rachel wasn't happy about that because she never liked the place.

Her courses as a vet started coming to a close for the year and she was half way through her thesis and she had another year to go before she would be finished with it and would start looking for a job while finishing her Vet courses that would take another three years, she felt happy. And as an early congratulatory present, Rachel got her a four door Ute. When Quinn saw it, her jaw dropped.  
"Rachel, that's, that's expensive, I can't take that," she stuttered.  
"Quinn you deserve it, you work very hard and you need a good truck," Rachel said as she hugged Quinn around her waist.  
"I just, thank you,"  
"You're welcome, happy half way congratulations,"

Rachel eventually got to meet some of Quinn's co-workers, who Quinn found were great to work with and she adored working with the marine mammals that came through the centre. They were helping her finalised her PhD as well as give her hands on work.

She also helped host education programmes about the animals and did work through schools and field trips as well as lecturing a little bit at the Universities and Colleges around the area on Marine Biology, though she was just a Guest Lecturer. Her boss at the Centre liked to tease her that the people came to see her and paid attention at her lectures for her looks as opposed to the animals.

Quinn laughed at that.

Yes, life for the two was going well on the whole with very few down times and a lot of ups and numerous content times. Life was good.


	20. Chapter 20 - The Epilogue

**AN:** So, this is it, the **final** chapter. (And it's a long one too - Lol).  
The **end** of Stranded.

As I said in the last chapter, **thank you to all of you** who have read this story from the beginning to the end. I have greatly appreciated it. Thank you for giving this story a chance.  
From the bottom of my heart, **Thank You**.

Thank you to those who have favourited and/or followed the story, it was a great encouragement for me to keep writing the tale.  
To all of you who have reviewed this story as a fellow member of this website and those of you who are just Guest Reviewers, thank you for taking the time to review, your feedback and your reactions as we journeyed through this story was great to see. And it was awesome to talk to those of you who kept PM-ing me with your thoughts and feelings about what was happening.  
To those of you who did not review but read this story from beginning to end, thank you very much for reading, just seeing that there are people who have taken the time to view and carried on reading this story have also been encouraging for me.

It has been my pleasure to write this story for **all** of you.  
I will be writing up the next adventure (going one story at a time, that way I can be dedicated to it like I was with Stranded) from tomorrow (my time).

Again, thank you and I hope you will enjoy this final chapter, The Epilogue.

from Dante Andy Anderson

* * *

**Epilogue:**

Quite a few years have passed now.

The two had defied the odds and remained together as a happily married couple since being High School Sweethearts.

Quinn had attributed it to the fact that she was dating a beautiful woman who made her laugh and made her feel special, making people gasp at her and feeling scandalised until they realised the woman she was dating was her wife.

"What the hell?" Santana had asked one day, "I thought you were dating someone, I was about to beat you up for doing that to Rachel,"

"Well, I am dating a wonderful woman who makes me laugh, makes me happy in my faith, and makes me feel complete, it just so happens that she is my wife at the same time," Quinn had said, "I never understood why couples stopped dating once they get married, it's even more reason to keep dating and having beautiful fun nights, you know, to remind each other why you still love each other, and you do discover more about each other as you keep going,"

"Why do I have a feeling I know this from somewhere?"

"Because I got the idea from a Christian Pastor, the title of the article slash blog was _'This Man Is Dating Someone Even Though He's Married. Sounds Disgusting, But I'm On His Side'_, it was really good, I recommend it,"

Santana just nodded her head and made a mental note to read it when she got home from their coffee catch up.

"Are those paparazzi people slowing down on you now?" Santana asked afterwards.

"Yeah, they were the worst after people discovered that Rachel was married to a woman and they wouldn't stop, but now that it's cooled down, no one cares," Quinn said as she sipped her coffee.

See about a year ago, it was leaked out that Rachel was indeed married and had been for quite a few years. The media exploded with that and the girls were rarely given peace until a few months later.

Rachel had lost some of her more conservative fans, but she knew that that was coming, and some fans seemed annoyed that she was married, but the majority were supporting and told her that they still loved her.

* * *

Quinn was now working full time as a Marine Biologist and Veterinarian at the California Research and Rescue Centre.

The place was similar to yet not as big or well-known as their Floridian counter-part, the facility focussed mainly on rescuing injured marine life and setting them free.

Most of the animals were dolphins, seals, sea lions and birds.

She was loving her job there.

On the odd occasion she would be consulted at various conventions where she would give a lecture and at times she'd be invited to guest lecture at various universities around the country because of her research.

Other times, she was part of a team that would travel overseas for conventions, Quinn even went to one in New Zealand and she told Rachel how fun she found it and how green New Zealand was.

"It's cold though," Quinn said on the phone, "I'm in one of the cities that is incredibly far south, I swear it's like four seasons in one day here, but the people are really nice,"

"Are their accents hard to understand?" Rachel had asked.

"At first, but after a while it's not so bad,"

"How'd the convention?"

"It's amazing, we're learning new things from each other and new techniques, it's fantastic,"

"I'm glad you're having an amazing time Sweetie,"

"You and I have to come here one day, I'm sure you'll love it,"

Rachel laughed a bit and said she would put a pin on it.

When Quinn turned twenty-six, Rachel and her had discussed the prospects of having children, she wanted kids and felt that now that she was starting to be settled where she was in life, it was time to think kids. (Even though she was about a year away from completing her Vet courses but she'd work around that she surmised).

Rachel was ecstatic, since she felt it was time too. Quinn decided she was to be the one to carry the child as Rachel was still working hard on her television show and wouldn't have the time as she was a main character; before she told Rachel about a recently almost perfect technique that would combine genetic material from both mothers, so no donor was actually required. Rachel wanted to try it but argued back that since Quinn was in her final year of Vet courses and would be busy, she should be the one carrying the child.

"But Rachel," Quinn started.

"Quinn, I've thought about this, I should carry the baby, the studio can work around that, they'll just hide me behind props once I get larger, besides you're working on your final year with the vet courses and you won't have time," Rachel argued back.

"Yeah but," Quinn started.

"Quinn, I'm doing this, you have courses to finish and a job offer that you're going to step into once you're done at San Diego State, you're interning while working at the same place and that's great, okay," Rachel said, "And you're really smart, not a lot of people do their PhD's in two years and you did, most people can take four sometimes up to eight years to do their PhD after their Bachelors,"

"I'm not sure how that applies to your argument, but with regards to my PhD, it was because I knew what I was researching and where I was looking so I kept working through it, I had a game plane and I wasn't lecturing full time like some people do, besides, it was because I did a Masters beforehand, it's the only reason I finished that bit earlier, anyway theoretic's, the point was not about how ridiculously early I finished my PhD, it's about which of us is going to carry a child,"

"It will be me, it's the best way and you know it,"

"But Rachel, I can,"

"Quinn, we'll have a chance for more children, okay, and once you've got the actual work and have time, you can carry baby number two,"

"Okay, okay, you win this round,"

"I always win,"

"Rachel,"

Rachel just laughed.

After that the two set about to see how to get the procedure done. And they were lucky that it was successful, Rachel told the studio about her pregnancy and the studio worked around it much to her delight. The cast even threw Quinn and her a baby shower.

Their first child Madison was born after Quinn's twenty-seventh birthday to the joy of her mothers.

"Just like the game Quinn," Rachel said as she held her daughter and Quinn started laughing as she kissed her wife's forehead.

* * *

As for Rachel, after her move to Los Angeles where she and Quinn had shared a small apartment, which was hard because their income wasn't great at the time, Quinn was feeling bad about it and Rachel had to assure her that she didn't care by saying, "We've survived on less, remember?"

Eventually the Broadway roles were coming in and some television spots, Rachel had enough so that the two could buy a bigger house together.

Quinn felt bad about that, not that Rachel cared and she made sure the blonde knew that.

"Quinn, we have a shared account, it's okay," Rachel had said.

"But I feel so bad, you work hard and you should spend the money on you," Quinn said.

"And if you really believe that, then I want to spend the money on and with my wife,"

"But you already got me a Ute,"

"So?"

"Rachel,"

"Quinn, we're married, we have a joint account, and I want to share everything I have with you, wouldn't you do the same if you were in my position?"

"Of course,"

"See, so no complaining,"

Quinn had admitted defeat to that with a kiss to Rachel's lips, her hands in a surrendered position.

* * *

"You should work in Television like me," Rachel said to Quinn one day, this was before they considered having Maddie.

"As what?" Quinn asked.

"I don't know, do Animal Planet, you'd be great, and people would so watch because you're cute,"

"Thank you Sweetie, but I like my job,"

"You know, they may ask you to be part of documentaries,"

"If asked, I'll consider it,"

"You so should, and you could be like a female Bear Grylls, you know survival,"

"No Rachel,"

"Okay, well, you could do something with diving, I mean you're a qualified scuba diver now,"

"So, you dive too,"

"But it's not my field,"

"Rachel, like I said, if asked, I'll consider it,"

But that was as far as Quinn would take it, television wasn't for her and she was happy with the job she had, as now she too was starting to have a better income that gave travel allowances.

* * *

After the birth of Madison, (nicknamed Maddie), Rachel who was still working part-time on the musical comedy-drama, which was in its' second to last season, was asked if she'd ever go back to Broadway, Rachel answered that of course she would if she felt called for it, she loved the theatre, however, L.A. had Broadway productions too, so she was not fussed about it.

She had already auditioned the year before for one of the touring shows of Wicked that was being produced in Los Angeles and was cast as Nessarose while being an Understudy for Elphaba, she didn't mind, she was just glad to be part of the show.

The year after Madison's birth however, she did get offered a part as one of the leads for a Broadway Production in New York, playing Anna in the finally constructed production of Disney's Frozen, and she was conflicted, but Quinn told her that she should go for it.

"But what about you?" Rachel asked as she kissed her wife's lips as the two lay in bed.

"I'll still be here, being a Marine Biologist won't make me leave, and I'll be there opening night, and visit you as much as I can, Mom and Dads will look after the baby, okay, Maddie will be okay,"

"But,"

"Rachel, you have to take this opportunity, don't miss out because we're here, don't let us be the ones to hold you back, you know I'd hate that,"

Rachel looked at her again, "But you are my life now, you are what I live for, what about Maddie? Quinn?"

"I will look after her, she is my daughter too you know, and Mom will be up in a couple of weeks anyway, and we will Skype, I promise you Rachel, it'll be okay, we will visit you when we can, we'll be okay, we will come see you, I promise, I just don't want you to miss this opportunity,"

Rachel looked unsure.

"It's only for six months, okay, we'll get through it," Quinn assured her.

"Okay," Rachel said eventually as she hugged Quinn tightly.

"You will be great as Anna,"

"Thank you, I can't believe I'll be acting with Shelby and she's playing my sister Elsa,"

"It's kinda weird,"

"No more weirder than what my relationship with Beth is,"

"We're not going there again,"

Rachel had smiled at that.

And on opening night, Quinn surprised her by being there with the Berry men as Judy stayed back to look after Maddie.

That year, Rachel won Best Supporting Actress of a Broadway Musical at the Tony Awards.

She was stunned as she went to the stage and gave her thank you speech.

* * *

Just before Quinn's thirtieth birthday, she gave birth to the couple's second child, Alison, it was Quinn's turn to carry.

Maddie was almost three.

Rachel was working between projects currently and was also working on a solo album, much to her delight, because her fans said they would be happy to get the album and she had said that she would have done it either way because it'd be something she wanted checked off her bucket list.

She also got a role in another TV Series starring as a scientist of a forensic team. Quinn helped her a lot with what she called the science speak.

The small family was happy.

* * *

It has been seventeen years now since Rachel and Quinn were deserted on an island together.

And on the almost anniversary of them being stranded there, Quinn called Rachel, who was at home with the kids due to the school holiday's for Maddie, who was now six and Alison was about to turn three and wasn't in preschool that day.

"Rachel," Quinn said on the phone.

"Yeah Sweetie," Rachel answered.

"You have to get to the centre,"

"What? Why?"

"Please, just come, and bring the children,"

"Quinn? What's going on?"

"Just come to the centre,"

Rachel drove over with the children and as she entered the centre she saw Quinn looking at her with a smile and a Californian Sea Lion next to her.

"Oh my god, no way," Rachel started.

There standing next to Quinn was a very, very, grown up Frankie, looking very proud of himself as if he had swum miles (which he had).

"Frankie, find Rachel," Quinn said as Frankie waddled up to Rachel as Maddie hid behind her legs and Alison cried a bit in fear.

"It's okay," Rachel said as Frankie reached her and leaned into her hand, "Hey Frankie,"

The sea lion let out a content huff looking up at the person he saw as his dark haired mother before looking back at his light haired mother.

He looked at Rachel before looking at the girls. It didn't take the sea lion long to realise that the two were his mothers pups, therefore they were his family now too.

He looked at Maddie first.

"Frankie, this is Maddie," Rachel said as Maddie looked at the sea lion and then leaned against her mother's legs as Alison hugged Rachel around the neck, "And this is Alison,"

Frankie let out another small huff as Quinn walked up to them and kissed Rachel's cheek before kissing Alison's head as she scooped Maddie into her arms and kissed her cheek.

"How do you know if it's really Frankie, Mommy?" Maddie asked as she remembered the stories of their time on the island with Frankie.

"Well, he still likes to steal my lunch," Quinn started as Rachel laughed, "What? He did, I saw him climb up the planks over there, waddle over to me, and just as I said hi, he took my tuna sandwich, I was not happy,"

Rachel was still laughing at her, "He loves his Quinnie Mommy, that's why he knows you should share your food with him,"

"So, you know because he stole your lunch?" Maddie asked.

"Sometimes," Rachel said, "You just know, we know that that's Frankie, we could never forget him, even if he looks just like another sea lion to other people,"

"Oh, okay," Maddie said.

Frankie waddled up to Quinn as she put Maddie down, "Mommy," Maddie squealed.

"He won't hurt you," Quinn said as Frankie leant softly against Maddie and the little girl slowly touched the sea lion's head.

"We can take him home with us," Rachel said with a grin.

"No, absolutely not," Quinn started but Rachel pouted at her, "Rachel, no, can you not do that pout, no, Rachel,"

"I'm using the Celebrity Card,"

"What?"

"I'm a Celebrity, according to a few people, therefore I will have weird pets and no one will care, they'll think it's cute, besides you always have the truck any way, he can ride in to work with you and then be with us after work,"

"No, Rachel, we can't take him home with us, besides won't your fellow members or PETA think that that is bad?"

"No, not as long as we look after him and, and, well, I, Frankie is family, he's part of our family, he should come home with us,"

"No, we can't,"

"Frankie, Quinn said no, what do we do when Quinn says no?" Rachel started as she pouted and Frankie did his version of the pout which was to turn around from Quinn so that he could look back up at her, dip his head a bit and widen his eyes, as a pup, before Quinn lost her eyesight, she always said yes because he was too adorable. As an adult…he was still too freaking adorable for Quinn.

"Fine, yes, he can come home with us, but we have to build a pool for him, okay, and make sure he's happy in a liveable space, and he comes with me to work every day so he can get the right food and all that, and during my days off, I will make sure he has all the right foods brought home with me that will be enough for him for the two days," Quinn said as she sighed and adjusted her glasses.

"YES," Rachel said in victory as Maddie eyed her new house mate.

_'Unconventional family indeed,'_ Quinn thought to herself.

* * *

As time went on, the unconventional family drew closer, Frankie was happy where he was, he enjoyed teaching Maddie and Alison how to swim and let them hold onto his back as he dove and swum through the water, and he enjoyed following Rachel as she cooked in the kitchen or was in the garden gardening, he even enjoyed sitting with Quinn in her truck as she drove to work almost every day.

One time a dog barked at him as he was sitting in the front seat of her truck and he barked back scaring the poor thing.

One week when Quinn was away at a conference, another staff member who he learnt to trust would contact Rachel so he could bring the Sea Lion home to the household, he didn't mind, he just missed the feeling of having Quinn there too, but the kids provided a lot of fun.

Over time, he also eventually warmed up to a fellow female Californian Sea Lion that was at the centre and the days of which he'd return home with Quinn lessened as he eventually had a full family of his own. His own pups (as the pups he had adopted back on the island were part of the colony and fully grown and no longer needed him, hence his need to find his human mommies again so that he could have that feeling of home).

But there were still days where he would head home with her.

Today was one of those days, Quinn had a hard day working on various animals and lecturing because she was asked to. So when it was time to go home, Frankie could tell she was exhausted.

When they were back in the house, he eventually settled in the living room as the fire was going, not that you needed one in California at this time of year, but Rachel loved the ambience given by it and he loved the feel of the fire, it reminded him of the days when he was still a pup back at the island with the two women.

He sighed in content as he leaned his head down on Quinn's legs and listened as she was reading a story to Maddie and Alison, who were sitting on her lap as she was sat on her arm chair and her feet on the footstool.

Rachel was currently in the kitchen preparing coffee for Quinn and warm milk for the kids. She tried once to prepare soy milk, but the kids didn't like it, so she resigned defeat and made usual milk.  
"Maybe when they're older they'll appreciated your Veganism," Quinn had said to her.  
"Yeah, Maddie is leaning that way anyway," Rachel had said with a smile.  
"And if you look at it, they're semi-vegetarian like me for now anyway,"  
Rachel had laughed.

When story time was over, Rachel and Quinn got up and tucked their children into their beds and kissed them goodnight before returning to the living room.

Frankie sat up as he saw them enter.

They sat on the soft rug together in front of the fireplace, Rachel was sitting on Quinn's lap as the blonde wrapped her arms around Rachel's waist and kissed her neck before kissing her lips.

He moved over to them and joined them, leaning his head on Rachel's lap like he always used to as she stroked his fur like she did when he was a pup and the three were enjoying the fire that was going at the beach bivouac.

Quinn smiled as she stroked his head too.

"What?" Rachel asked as she looked back and saw Quinn smile.

"Just life, you know," she said.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, it just gets me thinking, you know, you never know how life can end up, for us, we never knew that the greatest adventure we would have, started with us being stranded together on a deserted island,"

"I agree,"

"It's good to be home again,"

"Yeah, it is, with the whole family,"

"With the whole family,"

"I love you Quinn,"

"I love you too Rachel,"

Frankie made a small sound at them.

"Love you too Frankie," the two women said to him as they patted his head.

And to that, Frankie looked at both of them, saying with his eyes and they knew it, _'I love you both too,'_

It was good to be home.

**The End.**


End file.
